The Hero's Demise: a Chaos story
by j.p.dara
Summary: Percy Jackson led a troubled life. Endangering his life each quests he was chosen to partake, he had enough adventure and wanted to live a life as normal as possible. However, the Fates never planned on following. Percy Jackson, with the help of the powerful Chaos, must fight for the good and save the world he once knew-A demise that will lead in either destruction or redemption.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!

CHAPTER ONE:

Across a country road, an old-fashioned fruit stand stood abandoned on the sidewalk. The stuff on sale looked really good: heaping boxes of blood-red cherries and apples, walnuts and apricots, jugs of cider in a claw-foot tub full of ice- A typical fruit-stand beckoning massive customers that were sweating bullets under the boiling heat of the sun. Nothing was out-of-place.

Or so they thought.

Nobody saw them conjure a pair of knitting needles and a ball of electric-blue yarn out of thin air. Nobody gave a second glance at the three old ladies knitting a giant sock in the middle of nowhere. And yet everything is out-of-place.

It was because this was not a usual occurrence for most- dying in the hand of the Fates.

The three ancient women, with pale faces wrinkled like fruit leather, silver hair tied back in white bandannas, bony arms sticking out of bleached cotton dresses looked up in unison, boring their eyes in a pair of ocean orbs.

Young Percy Jackson was staring in confusion at the ladies. They shared a quick glance of amusement at each other and went back to study the child. His tousled dark locks and sea-green eyes marked his ancestry and relationship with the powerful god of thunders and seas- young and care-free, innocent among the realm of mythologies. A faint glow of blue-green aura surrounds the child, unknown to everyone other than few deities like them.

-And yet, maybe not unknowing.

They pierced among his mind's barriers and watched his encounter with the torturer of the Underworld. His natural grasp on the cursed sword _Anaklusmos_ as he swung it with ease was astounding for a mere child. They almost thought that he knew about his world, hidden ever so carefully by his mother. But then the distressed look in his face explained that he was too frightened to understand anything.

The young man turned towards the satyr who was staring at them in fear and apprehension. The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of scissors—gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears. The satyr choked and tried to drag the hero into the bus. It was useless. No one, not even the gods can control death. It was unexpected and unfair to most. But then, the life of a hero was anything but fair.

The middle one, Atropos, cut the yarn and they almost heard the last breath of a hero somewhere across the seven seas.

The bus reared into life. The passengers cheered and went up to their seats and continued their way. They did not notice that a hero was about to die in their midst.

The Weaver, Clotho, observed the piece of string in her wrinkled hand. So young to die at an age, she thought. She almost regretted pulling the sting in her yarn but she cannot do anything about it. She looked up in the eyes of Lachesis, the feared Allotter. Lachesis' eyes were dead and hollow, not one emotion seen in her face. But since the dawn of time, she knew that her sister is mourning for another loss among the great saviours of Olympus. The gods were too prideful to consider change. A fact they all despised.

Clotho sighed mournfully. She stared at the distance in pity. Somewhat of their brief acquaintance, they felt that the boy deserved the chance to prove himself to the gods. They turned towards Atropos, silently begging for another chance for the boy.

Atropos was torn. She did not know if what she was about to do would be the right thing. On one hand, the gods are threatened by the same adversary they turned around and banished into Tartarus. They would need every hero present to fight a war that they should be fighting. Another fact she did not support in their irrational decisions. But then the other hand, it was inevitable for Perseus Jackson. He must die at this hour and be sent off to the god of the Underworld's dominion. Fairness was never a luxury they can afford, being "pawns" of the gods themselves. Pain and despair would be his constant companion in his journey towards greatness. Death would haunt him at every corner. Trials would be given in times when help is needed the most. The worst are choices that would either save or end the world in an unending doom. Truthfully, it would be an experience to see the life of Percy Jackson revealed in his upcoming quests. But it would never happen.

All of their eyes hardened as they began to finish what they came for. Clotho pulled a string and gave it to the Lachesis. She measured the string and handed it to the Atropos. Suddenly the air turned into a chilling frost, biting into the worn skin of the ancients.

Atropos summoned her shears and moved it towards the lone string in an agonizingly slow manner. Clotho and Lachesis were holding their breaths, anticipating the last moments of the hero as death approached its victim. The sun went down the horizon as Apollo steadied his chariot.

The edge of the blade met the cord and began to close on it. For a moment, they wondered what was happening with Perseus at the moment- whether he was still in the company of the disgraced satyr or he was in the protecting arms of her mother. Creatures of monstrosities must've smelled the potent smell of the sea child and was pursuing him stealthily. But that was out of their hands.

-Because the shears met its target and closed on it with an audible snap.

They felt the familiar cold settle in his heart as his life started to flash in his eyes. But they did not give it a thought because something happened that was amazing it sent the ancients dumbstruck, a rare occurrence it was highly improbable.

The thin strand slowly wove itself into its place. They stared at the string that was beginning to glow into different spectrum of colors that was flashing very fast. It ended with a blinding light, engulfing the Fates until their forms cannot be seen.

As the light waned, the Fates gasped audibly. The once-electric blue string was pitch-black. It was adorned with small moving white-gold spots that were galaxies. Reddish-black spots were expanding into the thread.

-The visible forms of nebulas and stars.

The Fates were surprised into silence. They never knew it was supposed to happen at these millennia. They waited for it to come but came empty-handed. Now, as they were about to end a child of the sea, the most awaited prophecy of all time has arrived. A secret so ancient forgotten that only the chosen deities know of its existence.

Atropos raised her gaze towards her dumbstruck sisters and said in a raspy voice.

"_The time has come."_


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!

CHAPTER TWO:

Remember when I said that being a half-blood is dangerous and scary and that you can get killed in painful, nasty ways?

Well, I just hope that you got the message and you're not beheading ugly cronies of the Titans at the moment.

Because I just did all of the things on the list that went against every word I said in the beginning. I retrieved the lightning bolt from that "ugly boar" and gave it to Zeus; stuck the helmet of Hades into his greasy head; went to the Sea of Monsters and got back barely alive after having a weird urge of eating celery; rescued Artemis and Annabeth from Atlas or as I started to call "dumbie"; entered the Labyrinth and getting fried, stomped at, and getting more death threats than usual; bathed into some killer river that I have come to learn that was attempting to kill me; got my head washed up from all of my thoughts; got stuck into the wrong and, frankly, enemy camp; saved Annabeth's sorry butt again from the wrath of the gods and her dear mother; led both camps into another war with the cronies of the evil Snow White version of Mother Earth; and, hopefully the very last, saved the god's stupid chairs again from the furious blue loins of the Hyperborean giants which was an excellent example of the all-powerful titan of time being squashed by those icy and definitely smelly butts of the same giants in the last Second Titan War.

After all of that, and more souvenirs I got from abrupt kiosks of monster dusts in the middle of the wars, I was pretty sure the Fates hated me more than ever.

I mean, seriously, can't I take a break, like for my whole lifetime? It would be refreshing to have some peace at the moment. No problems, just good 'ol camp and my friends laughing and trying to make my life miserable.

But no, my "old" cousin decided to pop out of thin air and make things much more frenzied than before.

And I don't know who is worse, Gaia or him.

I sighed and went to the two campers who were brewing a massive fight. It had been like this for two weeks straight. Fights and blood were all over the place what with all of the campers trying to kill each other with swords, spears and spatulas. We got many campers broken, bruised, and fatally wounded.

One reminder: never engage a fight with someone holding a spatula. It's a lot worse than it sounds.

I pushed my way through the crowd and saw two clashing bodies. The burlier one, who I had come to notice was a son of Mars, locked the other guy in a headlock. He let go quickly and picked the fallen sword beside him and pointed it at the other's throat.

"Give it up, Thorne. That will never happen." The son of Mars growled, thrusting the sword deeper.

"Who are you to say that, Giovanni?" The guy named Thorne sneered. "You know Jackson's a goner against Heracles."

I raised an eyebrow. I did not expect they're fighting on me and Heracles. After Gaia opened the Doors of Death, she let out all the souls she could gather and gave them a one-time pass to exit the Underworld-A reckless move because she did not double-check on those she let out and most happened to be the good guys. Hades did not like that at all and it was still a sore topic for him. Meaning, if he heard you talking about it, you'll have a big once-in-a-lifetime chance of seeing the Underworld free of charge.

Thanatos tried to bring all of the souls back but some of the more powerful ones gave him some colorful words and banished him to wherever he was before. And somewhat a good thing too, since my cookies jar that was supposed to be filled with pennies for every cuss word was filled to the brim and I earned a hundred bucks.

-But mostly a bad thing because Thanatos was enraged and sent his fury towards where the offender is staying- which happened to be where we are now.

_Heracles_, I cursed.

At first, I was too excited than what is healthy and greeted him with open arms. Who wouldn't be? The man who every hero and mortal idolized, the man who underwent The Twelve Labors was standing in front of you; pretty much alive from the rotten luck he always had in him. I was honestly surprised. He was humble, courteous and gentlemanly towards his fan-girls who were trying to get a hold of him and his "total hotness" for even a second-things that was the completely opposite of what Zoe Nightshade ranted about. He showed some of his moves with a sword he got from the armory, and I admitted he was excellent at what he was doing. The camp rejoiced for a few days and let out a full-blown party for the arrival of the "greatest hero to ever live" and I happened to be one of his closest friends since Thalia was out with Artemis and Nico was with his dad.

But one look towards Chiron's face and I knew something was up.

After a few days, I noticed why Chiron was acting a bit forced towards Heracles. He was snappy, sarcastic and boastful. He almost killed one of the Morpheus campers when his back was turned to him and he claimed that it was the camper's fault that he did not face him like a real hero. I saw him flirt with all the Aphrodite girls while he was in a relationship with Katie Gardner and she did not even confront him with it, saying that he was too good to be given up in spite of his crazed fans. Let's just say the Stolls did not like that one bit and caused the largest spat ever established by the Demeter/Ceres cabin and Hermes/Mercury cabin. It was a good thing that Katie snapped the right way up and slapped Heracles hard.

Then there was the problem with cabin inspection. He thought he was too powerful to even clean the Zeus cabin when the inspection was up. Chiron was forced to ask some of the Aphrodite kids to clean the Zeus cabin for Heracles. I saw Piper McLean fuming as she went out of the cabin, mumbling about how even Jason can be humble as well as powerful. And I can't agree with her more.

Even Clarisse hates his guts. She was always on the verge of temper tantrums and got most of her siblings and some of the Hermes campers in the infirmary with broken bones, scorched skin and pummeled egos. She hated Heracles more than me, and that is saying something since Ares and all of his children hates me with a passion. She always tries to let out her anger towards me and I can't do anything but fight back. I silently thanked the gods that I was out of Heracles-is-out-for-you radar.

And I spoke too soon.

Later on, I kept on hearing rumors about me. I traced them back and knew it was Heracles that was spreading it out. I didn't let it get on my nerves but even I have some limits. Many of the new campers and some of the old began to shy away from me, throwing some hateful glares behind my back. He did not bother to duel me in a fight since he always fights others who are "lowly" of his presence. But it didn't escape me that some of the insults at campfire were directed at me.

Great, I was Heracles' next target.

"Jackson? A goner, are you kidding me? Even I know that doesn't make sense. And I happen to know that since I'm looking at something that doesn't make sense." Giovanni yelled, thrusting the sword deeper into Thorne's throat.

I was surprised. Most of the campers were too caught up with Heracles' smiles that they would not insult him in front of everybody. And now be glad some of them are on your side, I thought.

"And I am quite sure that will make sense once I prove it to you." A voice among the crowd said.

I turned around and cursed. The crowd parted and Heracles was standing there. His blonde locks fell down on his shoulders and framed his smiling face. His smile that was claimed to be heavenly by the female population was somehow a curse to some of us who were blinded by the glinting light on his teeth. I looked closer and saw the hidden threat in his angelic smile. I clenched my fists. He is as good in deceiving people as giving crap about anyone. He passed by me and faced Giovanni with a glare. Giovanni glared right back and didn't back down.

"You assume that Perseus would beat me in a second?" Heracles smirked. Most of the campers laughed. I stood there, seething and imagining what it would be like to actually have his head served on a platter.

"I don't assume." He mocked. "I know. Heck, he even did much more than all your puny fairy tales put together. You don't stand a chance."

Heracles grew a violent shade of red. He yelled in anger and put his sword on his throat. Red-hot anger boiled within me and the next thing I knew, I got Riptide out of its ballpoint pen sheath, disarmed him in a second and had my sword at Heracles' throat.

"Don't. Even. Think about it." I whispered menacingly.

He raised an eyebrow at my sword. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my old friend Anaklusmos." I realized with a jolt that this was once his. "Tell me, how is Zoe Nightshade faring?"

I snapped. I never tolerated anyone who insults any of my friends. Anyone—even if he's my best friend. And my pent-up anger towards this stuck-up hero just made my already-red face burn with fury. I yelled and a huge wave of water engulfed the idiot. When the water subsided, there stood Heracles, fuming.

_Uh-oh. This isn't good._

Heracles raised his arm up and a bolt of lightning hit his hand with a bang. His hand was now wrapped in a ball of electricity, or as how much electricity could be shaped into a ball, and threw it at me. It flew at a blinding speed but with my reflexes sharpened from years of quests and wars, I batted it with my sword and it went flying to Heracles who dodged it.

"You're good. But I happened to be better."

He raised both his arms up and willed the winds to fly him up. I was a bit stunned. The only demigod who I know happens to do that was Jason Grace. And he admitted he has some difficulty concentrating most of the time. This dude did it with ease as if he had been doing it for the rest of his life. And maybe he actually did.

What have I gotten myself into?

Trusting my battle instincts, I jumped into the creek and formed a huge funnel shape of water that supported my weight and lifted me off the ground. Now Heracles was a bit stunned, much to my satisfaction.

"It's not only you who has cool powers."

He cursed me in Ancient Greek and targeted bolts of lightning towards me. It simply broke from the sheer hardness of the water that I formed. I doused him with fresh water and sent him to the ground, sputtering.

"You piece of scum! How dare you attack me?"

"Easy. You started it." I turned my back on him and began to walk away.

Big mistake.

I remembered the same incident that happened with the Morpheus camper who stupidly turned his back and got pummelled. Hard. The hairs on my neck tingled as I took out Riptide and parried his strike.

We exchanged parries, attacks, blocks all over again. He lunged into my gut and I met his sword. He swiped at my head and I rolled out of the way, twisting my legs into his so he fell down with a down. I noticed some cheering in the background but I too preoccupied to listen. My mind was still in autopilot. Always jabbing, deflecting, lunging, and thrusting. I was beginning to tire from the hard work and so was Heracles. I cursed the Queen of the gods for removing my invulnerability.

_Just end it_, I thought angrily. Growling, I met the base of his blade and turned my sword to disarm him. His sword fell with a clang and was met with silence. The campers were staring warily at Heracles who was fuming red.

"You asked for death? So be it!"

He grabbed my arm and twisted it painfully. I yelled in pain and kicked him in the gut. He was sent flying into the trees a few feet away. I almost felt pity for him when a dryad appeared in front of him and punched him on the jaw before she disappeared. He stood up snarling and lunged at me.

It was gruesome. Both of us were pain after our brawl. I felt a sharp stab in my chest and I knew I had a broken rib or two. My left arm was twisted in a painful angle and my mouth was bleeding.

The only consolation I got was that Heracles was worse. His nose and mouth was bleeding, a huge cut was on his right arm and he was limping. I was a bit happy about that. At least I made a mark on him never to insult anyone I know. Campers swarmed into him and began to fuss over his wounds. I let out a snort of frustration and walked away.

I was greeted by a very frantic centaur.

"Percy, what in the gods' name happened?" Chiron said.

"My nerves can't take Heracles anymore." I mumbled, hoping that Chiron did not hear. Or else I'm in trouble.

Chiron sighed. "Percy, you have to understand. We can't let Heracles leave. He is one of us."

My eyes snapped up to him in fury. "Then why don't you let him face those dim-witted monsters that he oh-so killed with his bare hands? He kept bragging about it at the top of his lungs. Let him prove to you what an idiot he is!" I yelled.

"I know Heracles is a handful but we can't disappoint Zeus. He is his favorite son after all." Chiron said sternly.

I wondered what Thalia and Jason would say if they heard Chiron say that. Probably downright angry is an understatement.

Chiron realized his words and immediately back-tracked. Too tired to argue, I raised my hand to stop him. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I turned my back on a very worried Chiron and walked back to my cabin, silently awaiting the arrival of my girlfriend, Annabeth.


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!

CHAPTER THREE:

"Percy!" A familiar voice shouted. Annabeth was standing on the hill and began to run down to meet my open arms.

"Oh my gods, I missed you!"

Her grey eyes were shining in happiness. A few blonde strands escaped her tight bun after her mad dash. She was wearing her Camp Half-Blood t-shirt with a blue-green camisole underneath. Her shorts showed off her long and toned legs.

"I missed you too, Wise Girl! How's Olympus?" I asked and wrapped my arms around her waist.

She pushed away from me and began to search the crowds. "Tell you later. I want to know where Heracles is."

I ignored the heavy feeling that sank into my gut as I realized that maybe I wasn't the reason why she came here. Maybe it was because of-

"Heracles!" She gasped. "Oh my gods, he is so handsome! And so muscular! I wonder if he'll give me a picture." Shrieking, she ran towards the crowd and disappeared.

I sighed. Maybe she's just too overwhelmed with what was happening in camp and was excited by the fact that one of the most famous heroes was alive and started beheading dummies in a jiffy- Like I did when I first met him. I shook my head and began to make my way towards the beach.

Ah, Coke. Happiness inside a can. The familiar feeling of carbonated drinks running down your throat and making you burp out loud is making me homesick.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. I wonder how mom's doing. Paul and Sally started a new life in a bigger apartment they bought in downtown New York with their savings. Paul applied for a position as a history teacher at a nearby high school and mom continued to write, her only dream as far as I know. I remembered the last time I Iris-Messaged them and they nearly shrieked with happiness at the news. They were going to have a baby.

I know, surprising. But it was expected of them because they love each other. And the reaction of my friends was too good to pass. Thalia and Annabeth shrieked with my mom, permanently damaging my right ear. Grover punched himself so he could wake himself up from the horrifying dream of Percy having a baby sister and singing "Rock-a-by-baby" to the little tyke. Unfortunately, I also hit him a little too hard in the gut, making him unconscious for a day. A week after, Nico also passed out when he saw I was changing the kid's diapers. But the most hilarious reaction was from Poseidon. He was gaping like a fish at my mom, eyes bulging like a tuna. Then his face turned from a sickly green to shocking red, a great resemblance to a traffic light that could've caused a huge pileup of cars, as he glared murderously at Paul for "knocking her out". Paul was still frightened at the mention of my dad's name and Poseidon still transforms into a stoplight when he hears Paul's name or sees a blowfish pass near him.

I debated whether or not to just skip my summer vacation and just be with my mom.

"Jackson." I jumped up and uncapped Riptide. Standing in front of me was a man clad in dark red shirt and leather jacket. A thick chain adorned the pale figure around the neck and lot more chains were dangling on the hoops of his jeans and on his shoulders. His black hair was just passed his shoulders and a Stygian sword lies on his side.

I would recognize that sword anywhere.

"Hey, Nico." The figure rolled his eyes. Something shimmered on his head and I saw a riding helmet on top of it. I staggered back.

Oh, gods.

"Hades?" The man growled but nodded. I didn't notice that this guy is way too tall for Nico who is actually a head shorter than me last I saw him.

"What are you doing here?" I blurted. This was unexpected. Maybe Hermes or Apollo occasionally joins me for some drink or two but never Hades, god of the Underworld. And from what I saw of his dark robes and moody attitude, I was pretty sure he wasn't a soda kind of guy.

Hades scowled. "I am not delighted to be here, Jackson. I came to give you a message." He spat the word as if it was acid in his mouth.

My mouth was hanging open. Hades never followed his family's commands to him, literally spitting in their face that he is a one-man ruler and that he never will owe anything to the gods-until now that I saved them again and wished for him and Hestia to have their thrones. I recovered from my shock and stared at him suspiciously.

"From who?" Calling lord, lady or whatever they want others to call them didn't really stick to me but I try to be respectful.

"You better watch your attitude, boy or it'll stab you in the back. Painfully." He fingered his sword and I got the message.

Never mess with Hades.

But it doesn't mean that I have to be respect the floor he's standing at. He tried to kill me thousands of times and I saved his butt ten thousand times. The least he can do is to get over it. And he's not planning to do that sooner or later.

I rolled my eyes. "It's from Zeus, isn't it?" Thunder rumbled in the distance.

"He wants you, that Annie girl and your friends to come to Olympus and to bring his son along with you." Hades narrowed his eyes.

"Why would I bring his jerk of a son?" I snapped. In the distance, thunder shook the sky.

"Because he wants you to do so." He growled. I heard an underlying hint of annoyance and frustration under his voice.

"Well, why can't you bring him there? It'll save time and effort."

Hades gritted his teeth. "Look here Jackson. We both know we hate that prick with passion. You hate him because he is too arrogant than what is expected of young heroes like you." He pointed a finger at me accusingly. "And I hate that scum because of his infamous escape in my realm and his insufferable insolence. So you better cooperate here, or so help me, I'll make sure you'll get in Elysium unrecognizable even by your adoring fans."

My face turned red. "Fine. But you'll come with me."

I grabbed his cold hand and tugged him towards the arena. Hades struggled along the way and occasionally threatened that he will blast me with his awesome godly powers. But I didn't let go-Because if I do, he'll just zap away and leave me with this chore. And I wasn't going to take that chance. If he leaves, we'll both leave.

"Even if I don't have the curse of Achilles, I can still kick your bum blindfolded."

"How dare you? Are you calling me a weakling?" He roared.

Passing campers turned and saw us struggling with each other. Travis and Connor Stoll almost fainted when they passed by, mumbling to themselves about how I have the guts to grab the god of the Underworld in a headlock.

After a few curious stares, choking and fainting, we recomposed ourselves and began our way to Heracles who was dismembering a dummy with a slashing motion. He turned to us and immediately smirked.

"Well, if it isn't Old Corpse Breath. I have to give my thanks to Lord Ares soon for lending me that excellent name. It suits you very well." He taunted.

Hades growled but restrained himself. "Heracles, your father is waiting for you in Olympus."

Heracles grinned. "Finally! I'm suffocating in here what with those campers' low morals and lack of talent."

"I'll give you low morals." I seethed.

"As if that would ever happen." He scoffed at me then turned to look at Hades in a superior manner.

"Take me to him, then. If you were sent by father, then that would mean I am much more important than any of you."

Hades yelled in fury and lunged at Heracles. But before he could reach him, I uncapped Riptide and pointed it at his throat.

"How dare you disrespect a god?" I said.

"Because I am the son of the most powerful god in the universe and a low-lying god of the underworld is beneath me." He smirked.

Hades was enclosed in a black aura, fire spitting around his form. "I will not tolerate your attitude, boy! You may have beaten Cerberus in a fight in those silly twelve labors of yours but you will hold your tongue when I say so!" He yelled.

Heracles cowered under the aura of the god and I knew that Hades was about to blast him to chops. But he caught himself and turned to glaring evilly at Heracles instead.

I raised an eyebrow. Hades surely can be scary when he wants to. "You know, Heracles. You should be running for your life if you see that glint in Hades' eyes. 'Cause what he is about to do isn't pleasant."

Heracles' pride got some beating with Hades' words. He stood up tall and turned to stare at me in disgust. "You can never lay a hand on me. If you would, I'll tell Father to ban your daddy away from Olympus and blast him to smithereens."

I fumed. Insulting my friends is one thing, insulting my family is another…Sure; I count my friends as my family already, but no one can say bad things about my mom and dad and live to tell the tale.

Enraged, I lowered my sword and thrust it to his side. He cried in pain and whimpered. Blood seeped from his side and dripped on the forest floor with satisfying plops.

"Percy." A voice behind me gasped. I turned and what I saw made my heart crumple. Annabeth was staring at me with her mouth open. I cursed in Ancient Greek. Wow, I've haven't talked to Annabeth since she arrived, and I knew she's going to give me a piece of her mind, the one thing I really don't want to have right now.

I pulled out Riptide hard and backed away at Heracles who was yelling curses at me because he was wounded.

"Annabeth. Let me explain-"I pleaded but she cut me off.

"Why Percy? Why would you stab Heracles? One of our campers? For the love of gods, your own cousin?" She accused. It did not escape my mind that Hades was watching in the sidelines, smirking as if he was delighted to watch a really good movie. I can't register in my mind that Annabeth wasn't supporting me, but him.

She was on a roll now. "Why would you do that, Seaweed Brain? Do you not know who this is? This is the greatest hero to ever live! Can you not put that in that tiny brain of yours?" She kept on yelling. Campers around flinched at the rage tinting her voice.

"I'm sorry-"

"Sorry?" She shrieked. "How could you be sorry? You almost killed the guy! And with his past sword! How disgusting can you get, Percy?" She spat.

Heracles was feigning hurt when she turned to glance at him but proceeded to grin widely at me when her back was turned. _I knew it, _I seethed. Heracles endured way more than a scratch from a sword. He was just after the attention.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Clarisse struggling with Connor and Piper and Katie trying to hold on to Travis who was glaring murderously at Annabeth. But I didn't take notice of them.

"Annabeth." I whispered. It was too much to hear my girlfriend yell at me and throw curses with everybody around us. I was used to her saying that I literally have kelp in my brain when we spar but this-This almost hurt as much as all the wounds I got from the wars I fought and multiply that by a hundred.

"What Perseus?" I flinched. She never called me by my first name. I saw her eyes soften a bit but then harden when she glanced at the wounded Heracles. I was bruised and battered so it didn't help at all.

"What do you want me to do, huh, Annabeth? Let him give a piece of dung about my father? He insulted him!"

"Insulted? That was the reason why you stabbed him like a dummy? For the love of gods, you know he was just kidding! Why make an exception with Heracles?" defended Annabeth.

My heart panged with jealousy and pain as she said those words. She, and almost all the female population, was caught up with the charming smiles and winks of Heracles that they didn't see what a jerk he is. And to top that off, the male population kissed the dirt that his gladiator sandals were stepping on. But I couldn't give up on Annabeth. She had been with me since our first quest.

"Annabeth. Let me explain." I sighed.

She raised a hand and didn't meet my pleading gaze. "I really don't want to hear any of it, Percy." She turned around and gasped when she saw Hades. She slowly bowed to him.

"Lord Hades, to what pleasure do we owe you?"

Hades glared. "Trust me, child, you do not owe me any pleasure that I would desire."

Annabeth gritted her teeth. "Then I would assume you are sent to retrieve Heracles, is that right?"

"Unfortunately." He mumbled.

She pretended not to hear anything. "May we join you on our way to Olympus?"

"Anything to stop you from talking to me." Hades snorted and we were engulfed in a blinding light as he transported us to the hall of the gods.


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: Thanks for my first reviewer, _Sprody! _This is for you, guys!**

CHAPTER FOUR:

"Ah, there's my son." Zeus boomed as he shrank into his human form and hugged his son. "Now that we're all here-"

"Where's my dad?" I interrupted.

Zeus glared at me and was about to say something about my impertinence when Heracles cut him off. "Poseidon is not needed here. We can proceed as necessary now that I'm here due to my father's request." Zeus beamed at him, proud.

I resisted the urge to pummel him right there and shish-kebab him into tiny pieces. I saw a look of warning from Hestia and I groaned.

_I hate being restrained_.

Hestia didn't show much reaction if she read my thoughts but a hint of a smile was seen on her face.

Apollo, Artemis and Hermes were visibly glaring at Heracles, almost destroying their grasp on the arm rest of their thrones. Ares was grinning at Heracles. Dionysus was scanning his wine magazine with interest. Hephaestus was tinkering something and nodded at me. Aphrodite was fixing her hair and kept on shooting sly winks at me from across the room. Hades was, well, Hades- He was twirling his helmet in his hand and daring anyone, mostly Apollo and Hermes, to grab his weapon. Demeter was shooting cold looks at Hades that would've frozen even Khione, the goddess of snow in a giant trailer-sized glacier of ice. Hera's face was pinched together, as if she tasted something unpleasant or was constipated. I guess I'll bet on both after she drank gallons of banana chocolate latte with jalapeno flavoring for two weeks. I shuddered. Even thinking about make me gag in disgust.

What surprised me was Athena. She was staring at me in pity, her calculating gaze fixated on the person behind me. I didn't turn my head around. One more round of fighting, and in front of the gods, wasn't a good idea. And with her mother here…

Hestia was tending the hearth in her eight-year old form but she had a small frown on her face.

A flash of sea-green caught my eyes and saw my father seated on his throne, a worried look in his face. He was clad in his Bermuda shorts and pink-and-green Hawaiian shirt. In fact, this looks like a typical meeting.

But I can't help but feel that something is going to happen. Something really bad.

"Now that we're all here, I want to discuss some sensitive matters…"

Immediately I zoned out of Zeus's impossible long monologue and turned to look at my friends instead. They looked bored, annoyed, and impatient for it to end. I couldn't blame them. The heroes of the wars were summoned from whatever they're doing just to listen to Zeus complain about those "wretched Titans" or "those insufferable creatures of the Earth" that I would gladly point out were destroyed and banished deep into Tartarus after a massive bloodshed a few weeks ago.

From the tired expression on Frank and Hazel, Dakota's increased drinking Kool-Aid addiction, Jason's frustrated sighs and Reyna's hissing noises, they just want to come back to Camp Jupiter and fix all the ruined structures made by the giants. It was good to see them again after a very hectic schedule but it would be best to just send them off to where they want to be-same with Camp Half-Blood. We were all tired and sore from the wars, even Annabeth who just got off Olympus after re-renovating it and our little spat must've cost her energy. And to make everything easier, a certain jerk son of Zeus decided to add more drama.

Geez, now I feel bad for sitting Connor and Travis Stoll beside Heracles. They looked like they were about to do murder with the wooden spatula in Travis' hand. It was a good thing Thalia, Nico, Clarisse, Leo, Jason and Piper was near the twins and Katie and Will were holding onto the two or else the war would look like a food fight if Travis and Connor had the chance to do anything they wanted on the prick. Malcolm and Lacy were too busy googly-eying each other to notice.

"…and it concerns these demigods in front of us."

My head snapped up to see all of the gods staring at us with different emotion on their faces it was hilarious to see it flitting from one to another.

"I would like to give a gift to the heroes that valiantly fought our foes in the wars. If there is any who object to this proposal, you may raise your hand." Zeus said.

I expected some hands to be raised in the air. It was rare to see all of the Olympians work on one decision and not have any argument about it. Heck, I even sat on one of the longest spats in history, concerning about a lost plumber and some clogged toilet, and after that I wouldn't be surprised if this happened to be longer.

Unexpectedly, none.

"Very well, we shall ask each one of you to step forward to receive your gift." Zeus addressed us.

"I'll go first." Poseidon raised his hand. He smiled at me. I stepped forward and bowed to my father.

"Perseus," He started.

"Percy, dad." Some of the gods chuckled.

Poseidon smiled. "Sorry, son. Percy, you have served us in the midst of our need and changed the course of the future that was led to our doom to one with peace and harmony. For that, we are eternally grateful. As a noble son of the sea, I wish that you receive the immortality and godhood we are offering."

I was dumbstruck. This was the second time the gods are offering me immortality. Apollo and Hermes were shooting me hopeful glances but I knew I had made my choice from the beginning.

"Thank you father, but no thank you." Poseidon's expectant gaze turned into a sad one.

"Very well." He grumbled. "Are there any other wishes that you wish to receive?"

I turned to my friends who were smiling at me encouragingly. Heracles was fuming red in anger and jealousy and Annabeth was looking at anything but me. I sighed.

"Can you just give it to others? I'm pretty sure they need it more than me." I said. Hestia, Demeter and Hera smiled a little at my request.

Poseidon's lips twitched in amusement and his sea-green eyes were crinkling with pride. "You are one-of-a-kind, son-always thinking of others before you. I am so proud of you." I felt my face turn beet red. "However, once a gift from the gods, always a gift from the gods. If you ever think of anything that I can grant, just say something."

I opened my mouth to protest but a look of warning in Poseidon's face made me shut up. Great, the gods owe me. Zeus will not like this one bit. True to words, Zeus was fingering his master bolt, silently glaring at me. As if he was wishing he could just hit me for a second. I cowered a little and stepped back. I heard snickers behind me.

Zeus composed himself, although he kept scowling in my direction. "Will all the other demigods rise and step forward?"

They stood up and bowed in front of the gods.

"As a reward for your deeds, we also grant you a gift." Zeus motioned for the gods to stand in front of their kids or their patron. The gods turned to Zeus and nodded.

"We are graciously granting immortality to these chosen ones." Zeus stared at each one of them, sending a small smile when he reached Thalia and Jason. He gave a funny look towards the spatula in Travis' hand but did not comment. Knowing Hermes and Apollo, he must've seen weirder things in their hands. Then he stopped at the end.

Annabeth and Heracles.

"However, you two," He pointed. "—will receive your gift from your parents as they have other plans for you." Then he turned expectantly towards the others.

In unison, they said, "We accept, my lord."

I was happy for them. Even thought I will die an old man and they can be young forever, there are still more important things than living forever. I saw the literal hell that the gods are going through every millennia and I knew I can't survive without getting insane. But it won't happen to these people. They suffered far more than a necessary half-blood experience and they are wiser than the gods.

"Heracles, you have been risen from death for a reason." Zeus beamed with pride. "To live the life a true hero should live for."

At this, Apollo and Hermes simultaneously gagged in the background. Artemis hissed quietly. Will, Katie and Piper gritted their teeth. Maybe not all are caught up with Heracles' acts.

"I would like to grant you the power to become a god."

I spoke too soon. Maybe it would make them a bit insane if he accepted. If he was driving us crazy and he was just with us for two weeks, I hate to think what would happen if it lasts a lifetime. Travis and Connor stared at Zeus in horror with the message "Wait! I change my mind!" look in their faces. Clarisse, Katie and Piper scoffed in disgust. The others were holding their breaths, anticipating the decision.

Heracles gave me a slow, taunting smile which made my blood boil. I silently wished that Thanatos would get over being insulted and appear at this moment and literally drag him to hell with Hades cackling behind them. But it doesn't work that way. When you wish for something so bad, you get the complete opposite of it, giving the impression that mystical forces were mocking your intelligence.

"I accept, Father." Zeus grinned and grabbed Heracles in his arms. Travis and Connor were mouthing "No!" in the background and Thalia face-palmed herself.

"If I may speak," Athena stepped forward. "I would like to also give my daughter the chance to become a goddess."

Silence engulfed the room.

You know the feeling that someone is really pissed at you? And the unfair thing is that you haven't done anything but save their stupid butts again and again from evil meanies? And then when you finally have some peace from nearly getting your ass whooped yourself, they try to be jerks and take that thing away from you?

That's how I felt. I try to be the good guy, the nice Percy Jackson everyone has come to expect. But when you just had enough, you tend to over think your decision about helping somebody who thinks you're not worth it.

_I have brought you a hero's fate, and a hero's fate is never happy. It is never anything but tragic._ Poseidon once said.

At first, I said to him that I really don't mind being threatened into fish sticks every day. But as I said, there are more important things than being a hero.

_Being a god._

But I also need somebody. Someone to hold on to. My friends did that, all the time. Even if their ways were a little too dramatic or a tad too indifferent, the thought still counts.

But I can't live without being insane if nobody will stand by my side. And Annabeth always served as my anchor.

What was mere seconds felt like eternity for me- I watched with bated breath as Annabeth's eyes glaze over with desire. No, my mind kept on chanting in my head. I felt stares on me as Annabeth pondered over her decision. _Please no. Oh gods, please no._ Thoughts entered into my head as I remembered the times we were together- retrieving the lightning bolt, sailing in the Sea of Monsters, tricking Atlas into holding the sky again, walking in circles in the Labyrinth, taking a knife for me that was place on my Achilles' heel, fighting Gaia and her earthborns together.

_Please don't leave me._ I yelled in my head. I noticed most of the gods stare at me with pity. I don't need their pity. Annabeth is coming back. She will refuse her mother's offer of immortality and be with me.

At that moment, I felt like I was trying to convince myself.

"Annabeth?" Athena said.

Annabeth turned to meet my pleading gaze with her stormy gray eyes. It was the first thing that attracted me to her. The same calculating, full of battle plan eyes that I used to admire-but this is not the same eyes.

Glazed with temptation at the luxurious offer, she gave me a parting glance.

_Don't say it! You'll ruin everything! Oh gods, it's like I'm watching re-runs of Desperate Housewives!_

She took a deep breath and faced her mother who was grinning in happiness as she said the words that mashed my heart into pieces.

"Yes."


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: Trust me, guys. Sentimental Percy and kinda-emo Percy isn't going to stay long. He'll snap back up again. I just wanted to try what I can do with the emotions of the Hero of Olympus **

CHAPTER FIVE:

Everyone gasped. It would've been funny to see them all have the same reaction in a different situation but this isn't funny. It wasn't even pleasing to say the least.

The gods all turned to stare at me and I felt like they were boring into my soul. Something heavy was pushing into my brain, almost knocking me out. It felt like it was pounding on it with a sledgehammer and it hurt—A lot.

With a jolt, it was the gods trying to push their way into my mind, trying to read my thoughts. They wouldn't have thought of it in another time, unless they thought it was funny, and I wouldn't have minded one bit.

_Get out of my head!_

Then their presence disappeared.

This was too much. They weren't thinking of my privacy, like I don't have a say about it. But my head was too mashed together to think too much about the gods.

"No." I was devastated. Nothing could describe my face. My head was chanting No again and again. It was safe to say that I always gather my wits even in the tightest pressure and half a second later, I'll get murderous scowl from ugly monsters and I'll chop them into pieces. I never thought of how it hurts to be slashed a thousand times and be reformed a thousand times to undergo the same process again and again it was kind of expected.

_Now I know_, I bitterly thought.

"No!" Thunder shook the room. The immortal heroes fell on the floor from the sheer force of the winds and the earthquake. The gods tumbled into their thrones and grabbed their arm rests tightly, slightly shaking. I wondered how an earthquake could reach a lone palace thousands of feet off the ground and a powerful one at that.

"How could you?" I whispered inaudibly. A loud clap of thunder crashed in the air and they gave a scream. Debris began to fall from the dome which was shaking like crazy. The winds gave their full force and pushed the pillars down with an ear-splitting crash. My ears were slightly damaged from the impact and my eyes were burning but I told myself not to shed a tear for her.

"Percy! Stop it!" Annabeth commanded. That got me pissed off, big time. I felt the sea respond to me and giant waves collapsed on the sea shores around the world. The winds picked up faster and a huge hurricane was forming outside the window and was terrorizing the whole New York City.

"Percy!" Thalia shouted. She ran to me with Nico behind her but they were pushed away and landed on Zeus and Hera's lap. I cringed. I was hurting my cousins and friends.

Immediately, the air began to smell ozone. Zeus was calming the winds with his master bolt. Not wanting to be restrained, the winds picked up faster and stronger than ever. Poseidon raised his arms and tried to control everything. But he slumped down his throne, defeated.

He stared at me warily. "Percy, please calm down."

I looked at my dad who flinched at me. My dad was scared of me. One minute, I was mopy and sad then all of a sudden; I turned into giant killing machine. Maybe I was too instinctive.

The winds stopped and they all sighed in relief. I won't shed a tear. I'm stronger than that. I opened my fists let the blood circulation flow again and raised my head up to stop the flowing water in my eyes, blinked rapidly. My red face was turning back to its color after my little tantrum.

I felt a hand on my arm and saw Hestia in her eight-year old form, smiling at me reassuringly. I pulled my arm away and did not meet her flaming eyes. It was hard not to throw things within my reach to the gods for pitying me. I was strong for this. I won't let my emotions get the best of me.

Now, with all my heart, I wished I was at home with my family...safe in my mom's arms and happy with my sister and Paul, laughing like there's no one caring that you looked like an idiot...eating blue-colored food that was heavenly to my taste buds—talking to them because I needed someone to talk to.

It's hard to be away from your family in times like this.

Hestia nodded in understanding and snapped her fingers.

The last thing I saw was Annabeth staring at me as if she was contemplating how to live her life as a goddess without me.

And I'll give it to her.

"Woof!"

Oh no.

I was dizzy from the fast thinking of Hestia zapping me away from Olympus to downtown Manhattan and it wasn't a nice experience. I just thrashed the meeting room of the Olympians with hurricanes and earthquakes- or maybe, air-quakes- and just got dumped like trash-see the irony? And then Hestia used her powers to give me free pass back home. Sure, it saved lots of time and cursing from pushing your way into the busy crowd but I'll take walking any day if I won't have a really bad headache.

A black mass jumped on me and we fell in the living room with a loud oomph. My vision was a bit blurry with many stars frantically circling my head and I was slightly wet as Mrs. O'Leary licked my face like a kid would do to a lollipop- A human-sized swirly lollipop at that.

"Mrs. O'Leary! Down girl." My giant hellhound sat on her hunches, tongue lolling from her muzzle. I pat her head and scratched her ear; wincing at each impact her wagging tail met the door.

"Pewcy!" A tinkling voice came from behind me.

Ariadne was running full speed on me and leaped unto my chest. She wrapped her flimsy arms around my neck into a death-hold. I hugged her back and put her down. She pouted and kicked my shins.

"Ow!" I yelled.

My sister always had her way with things. Normally, little 3-year olds would greet their big brothers with a really big hug and a kiss on the cheeks. Well, normally. I can't say she is exactly as normal as a little girl. She always had this way of greeting people by kicking them in the shins or where the sun doesn't shine. Not only that, but there are a few other reasons. First, she never liked girly things. Never. When mom tries to buy her those bendy, ribbon-y things that you put on your head, she would always throw big tantrums, not caring whether it was in the mall or on the sidewalk, and won't stop until you'll let the subject drop. Second, she has this huge obsession with RC cars, skate boards, hip-hop dancing and arcade games that drives Paul insane. Educational books were out of the window and those summer camps for Math weren't an option for her to consider. Third, she is as sarcastic as me even though she hasn't learned that much words yet. But I was pretty sure if she learns, she'll make even Ares blush with her witty remarks. Thalia met her last year and immediately liked the kid. And it was kind of expected. Nico does too. He always calls her mini-Thalia.

But what was very interesting about the kid is that she has the same abilities like her namesake. Remember Theseus? The dude that bashed the Minotaur in the Labyrinth and accidentally got his father killed with some stupid mistake with a flag? Yep, he had some "guide" and Ariadne was the one available. She can see through the mist with no problems, that's why he hired her and asked for the golden string. And then he left her on her own, she got trapped in an island then Dionysus found her.

Thank the gods Mr. D did not meet her yet or he'll make my life even more miserable for using his wife's name for the sister of an "upstart demigod sea-spawn".

We saw her seeing through the Mist when she met Mrs. O'Leary for the first time. Anyone who can actually see the hellhound for who she is would run away with their head between their legs. But my sister actually hugged the dog and kicked her in the belly. Let's just say that Mrs. O'Leary did not like it one bit.

"Why did you kick me?" I groaned.

"You not stay me." She crossed her arms and glared at me with her huge brown eyes.

"I know. I'm sorry. But I'm here now. Tell you what, to make it up to you, I'll cook you our famous blue-chocolate chip cookies." I said.

"You know cook?" She stared at me suspiciously.

Shoot. I was planning to just borrow the ready-to eat cookies mom always kept in the cupboard. Told you she's like Thalia, all the way.

I sighed. "No. But I'll ask mom to bake some for us."

Her face lightened up and she raised her arms. I carried her to the kitchen with her playing my bead necklace. Mom was reading through a recipe book with a pair of earphones stuck to her ears. So that's why she didn't come running to the living room with a kitchen knife in her hand. You got to love technology at its best.

She looked and put down her book and earphones.

"Oh honey, I missed you." She kissed my cheeks repeatedly and I told her she was clinging to me. But I was secretly glad that she still cared for me even though I was too old for that. Ariadne was shaking in laughter.

"You're here for some cookies, are you?" Ariadne nodded furiously.

Mom chuckled and put her on the counter. "It was a good thing I baked more of the new recipe."

She pulled out a batch of cookies with blue gooey chocolate oozing inside. Mom put strawberries dipped in blue chocolate fondue on top of each cookie, making it look like it was frozen solid for a hundred years. I began to drool. It may look icy but it was warm and chewy on the inside. I swallowed more than half of the batch in one go.

"Ew!" Ariadne pulled out her disgusted face. I smiled and fake-puked on her.

"Mom! Percy is pig! Ew, Piggy!" She leapt off the counter and ran away to her room.

After a few minutes, I heard a very loud crash in her room. Probably broke another of Mom's china set with her mini skate board or do those hip-hop moves in reality shows and smashed her bed in the process. Maybe both. I swear, she is crazier than me most of the time.

Tension grew in the kitchen as I remembered what I came here for.

"Perseus." Uh-oh.

I flinched. "Yeah?"

"I heard what you did in camp." I looked up at her. Her smiling face turned into an unreadable one. I've only seen that face a couple of times in my life and the outcome is always bad.

"What you did is wrong." She scolded. I bowed my head in shame. Not for bruising the prat badly but because I disappointed my mom. The guilt eats me fast whenever my mom uses that tone.

"I know." I gritted my teeth. "But I'm not sorry for what I did."

Why is she scolding me about this? I wanted to shout at her. But her eyes warned me to shut my mouth.

After a few staring, she sighed and offered a small smile. "I heard the story from Chiron. He is very worried about you, you know. But from what I could tell from what he said, I knew you wouldn't be. You are too much like me, Percy. If I were you, I would've done the same." I smiled in relief. It felt great to know that someone is supporting you even if it was wrong in many ways.

"But what was the other part? Chiron heard rumors about a big spat between you and Annabeth." She said.

I stiffened. Annabeth is a very sore topic to me right now. "I don't want to talk about it."

I felt a hand land on my shoulder. "You can tell me, Percy."

"Please, mom. I really can't talk about it." I huffed.

"I'm sorry." I pulled away from her and looked down. I didn't want them to pity me for being the pathetic boyfriend who just got dumped hard by his first girlfriend.

I clenched my fists. "I don't need your pity."

Mom stared at me for a while before she nodded slowly. "You're right. The last thing you need right now is pity."

Then she surprised by pulling me into her arms and hugging me with all her might. I smelled her fragrant shampoo and relaxed into her hug.

"But I know the first thing that you need right now." She whispered in my ear, her soothing voice making me slightly better.

"A hug."

I couldn't remember how it happened but the room was filled with heart-wrenching sobs as I broke down in my mother's embrace. Tears continued to flow endlessly down my cheeks as my mind played the horrible scene in the throne of the gods over and over again, hurting me more than ever. The betrayal of the love of my life killed all that was left of me. I lost my normal life. I lost my friends in the war. I lost Annabeth. I cried even harder, shouting at the gods. It wasn't entirely their fault but it felt good to release all the pain, all the sadness that I'm feeling right now.

Mom kept hushing sweet nothings in my ear as she patted my back. I felt small arms wrap themselves around my legs in comfort. It wasn't much. But it felt like the world to me.

My family is all that I have left.

"Pewcy." Ariadne opened her arms and I hugged her to me tightly. Her light-brown hair tickled my neck when she put her head on my shoulder. She didn't complain if I was choking her but kept holding on.

"I wuv you, Pewcy." She mumbled.

"Love you too, kiddo." I wrapped one of my arms around her and the other on my sad mom. Mrs. O'Leary squeezed into the kitchen, crashing unto the utensils hanged on the corner, and whimpered at my teary face. I beckoned her and she sat in front of me. She licked my hand and cuddled on my other side.

Hestia is right. When all else fails, it was all that was left. Home. Hearth.

Family.

And I would give up the world just to keep my family safe.


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: _BRACE YOURSELF_...**

CHAPTER SIX:

"I no sleep." Ariadne protested.

I sighed. My mom made me tell her everything that happened and I reluctantly agreed. It was a hard task- reliving the memories. But my mom did not force me to speak. Instead, she just waited patiently for the rest. Ariadne was sleeping in the back of Mrs. O'Leary, waking up sometimes from the terrifying growls she makes when she hears Annabeth and Heracles' names. I expected my mom to be excited with the news of the most famous hero to ever live was in fact, alive and breathing Givenchy from the Aphrodite cabins.

But she just pursed her lips, trying not to make a comment. I was grateful for that. After a record time of five hours talking in the kitchen, my butt was cramped from sitting for so long. I offered to tuck Ariadne in bed while she's out into the market to buy food. I thought Ariadne would follow me this one time because I'm upset or something.

It actually backfired on me.

"Come on, Ari. You need to sleep. It's past bedtime." I chided.

Ariadne scowled in annoyance. "No sleep. I sleep on doggie ago and no sleep now."

I groaned. "But sleeping on Mrs. O'Leary's back is not comfortable for you. Besides, it's been two hours since you woke up. You need to go back to sleep."

She crossed her arms. "No."

Mom will be furious. Why can't my life get any better? Heck, I do have some serious rotten luck.

I sighed in defeat. "Fine." She squealed and hugged me. "And if mom asks, our defense would be that if I let you sleep again, there's a possibility that you won't ever wake up from over dosage in sleeping or something that needs closing your eyes and I can't let that happen, can I?"

She rolled her eyes in a very-Thalia manner. "I wanna mommy."

Ah, crap.

"Mom said we can't leave the house. Bad people are everywhere at this time." As soon as I finished, I regretted ever saying anything. Her lips trembled and she wailed in a high-pitched noise that was abusing to my ears. It was a pure shrieking that would've easily shattered one of Aphrodite's mirrors in her temple. And that's saying something because those are really strong. I recovered from shock and comforted her in any way I can. I was always good with kids. But not those kids who were shrieking like crazy.

"Ariadne, please stop." I pleaded.

"You said mommy out and bad sticks out too." She screamed.

It wouldn't make sense to those who haven't talked to Ariadne and it took me a while to full understand what she said.

"Oh gods, no. That's not what I meant. Mom will be back safe." I said softly. It was still a mystery why Ariadne would call a person stick. It must be those stupid Popsicle sticks in those commercials forming into a man who moonwalks the whole time it was aired on TV. It blows my mind how tree branches make children go insane.

"No!" She cried. "I wanna mommy NOW."

I was stuck in two dilemmas. First is the fact I would bring my little sister into the real world with me as her companion. Not that I couldn't protect her from muggers in the alleys but because I was some kind of a tourist attraction outside camp. And letting my sister see the real forms of monsters would haunt her to sleep and I can't let that happen. Even after years of fighting monsters and sending Titans to Tartarus, nightmares still come to my sleep. Imagine a three-year old experiencing that…

The second was the fact that if I were her, I would do anything to find mom and see if she is not with the bad "sticks" right now. I know the feeling of worrying over your friends as they clash with the enemy demigods, locking themselves in combat; not knowing whether they will come back whole or in tiny pieces that can be shish-kebab-ed. Mom can defend herself fine in combat; after all those pointers that she gave me in fighting. But there are still others who are a bit "pissed" at me for either kicking them out of their thrones or damning them in an unending torture with Hades. Most likely both.

_Oh, the hell with choices!_

I took a deep breath and sighed. "Alright. You win. But from the moment we are out of the door, you'll do as I say, okay?" I did not show my emotions to her just in case it freaks her out. I was nervous; my head is running a thousand miles per hour with anxiety. My heart was thumping fast.

She looked confused but nodded.

"Mrs. O'Leary." At the sound of her name, she sat up and walked towards me. She must've understood when her eyes lit up in anticipation.

"Okay, Ari. Listen very carefully. Mrs. O'Leary," I pointed. "Will bring us to mommy. Fast. But you have to hold on to her so you won't, er, fall out."

She nodded. I lifted her onto Mrs. O'Leary's back and settled myself behind her. She grasped a fistful of her fur and leaned forward.

"Okay Mrs. O'Leary, Central Park." I whispered in her ear.

Mrs. O'Leary barked and walked towards the near shadow.

"Pewcy?" Ariadne was shaking in fear.

"You'll be fine." I hugged her closer to me as the hellhound jumped into the air and disappeared within the shadows.

We walked out of the shadows beside the boulders that Nico and I used to enter into the Underworld. The Door of Orpheus. The familiar nausea settled into my stomach and I coughed it out. Ariadne's eyes were closed, silently anticipating the crash.

I chuckled. I thought of the same thing too when Nico made Mrs. O'Leary run into a tree. Who wouldn't? Imagine running a hundred miles per hour directly on a giant tree that was sending the message _if-you-intentionally-run-into-me, I'll-skewer-you-to-death_ to anyone who was stupid enough to do it. But after a few run-ins with Nico and Thalia and visiting the Underworld more than I want to, nothing can surprise me when it comes to that certain son of Hades.

"Ariadne. You can open your eyes now." She peeked out on one way then screamed.

"Yay! Good doggie goes fast!" She laughed enthusiastically. Yep, mini-Thalia alright…In spite of their two completely different opinions with the topic of Shadow-Travelling.

"I'm glad you like it. Now-" But I was cut off with a scream.

"Please!" My heart turned cold. It wasn't just a happy scream or a crazed scream; it was the scream. The familiar scream of unbearable pain entering your body as if you were being roasted alive.

The scream of torture.

As the scream was cut off, it was followed by something much worse. It was laughter piercing into the air. Not just laughter. An evil one. I thanked the gods for making us stay for a little while on Mrs. O'Leary's back instead of walking into what was happening. And I'm pretty sure I don't want to find out.

Panicked, I faced Ariadne whose brown eyes were wide open in shock.

"Ariadne." I said. If it was possible, her eyes widened more and bulged out of their sockets. I never used this tone with her. It was either happy or mocking, but never serious. And this is the only time I should use it.

"Remember what I said about us going out of the house?" She nodded. "I said that once we are out of the door, you'll do as I say, right? Well, this is where that is used." I jumped off Mrs. O'Leary's back, ignoring Ariadne's protests.

"Pewcy! Get back!" She cried.

I faced her and held her shoulders. "Listen, I want you to hold on to Mrs. O'Leary as tight as you can and don't let go. Even if you see Piggy get hurt," I joked.

At this, she bawled and grabbed onto my neck.

"You no piggy! I joke! Pwease! No leave!" She held tightly I almost choked. This is going to be hard.

Time was running out. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Instinctively, I reached for my ballpoint pen and uncapped it. A three-foot bronze sword glimmered in the moonlight. Ariadne gasped as she stroked the flat edge of the blade with her little hand.

"Be a good girl now, Ari. Mrs. O'Leary will bring you to my friends. If bad 'sticks' sees you, run and hide until I get you." I pulled her hand away from Riptide. Tears were streaming down her face and I pitied her for facing something this bad when she's just a kid. I released her arms around my neck and stepped back.

"Mrs. O'Leary, can you shadow-travel one more time?" She nodded wearily. "Thank you, girl. Please find Chiron. He's in Camp Half-Blood, Long Island, New York. You know where he is."

I put a soft kiss on my sister's forehead and pat on Mrs. O'Leary's muzzle. And turned to where the screams came from.

_Whoever you are, hold on to anything 'cause I'm running a few thousand miles here._

"Who's there? Show yourself!" The _empousai_ said.

Around the clearing were dozens of lifeless bodies thrown in a heap in the middle. Many _empousai_ and dracaena were patrolling around the clearing armed with spears and bows. A few hellhounds were chewing off the limbs contentedly. There are too many of them.

I cursed. Why can't they stay dead for a little while? If they can't, maybe a few thousand years?

The _empousai_ who must've been the leader was dressed in a one-shouldered red vintage dress with sequins shining in the light. The dress was covering the horrible, er, legs they have-one of a donkey and one of an automaton. Unseen, they were ethereal to the eyes of men they will seduce for some midnight snack. I shuddered.

The _empousai_ was near the bushes where I was hiding. That sent a chill down my spine. Uh-oh. Her dark skin was a contrast to her red dress. Her curly hair was making shadows that looked like snakes. Wait- snakes?

_Oh Hades._

She sniffed the air and smiled maniacally. "Ah, yes, Perseus Jackson."

I would like to say that I came out of the bushes, slashed and hacked my way into the monsters and stood a victor with golden dusts being blown away by a giant electric fan I made with my awesome powers.

The truth? I did not look behind to see four dracaenas grabbing me from behind. I was surrounded instantly.

"My, my, you look handsome and delicious," Kelly licked her lips. "Constant battles have done you good. And a kiss would only make it better."

I was lulling slowly into a trance when a weird image of Rachel hitting me straight in the eye with a blue plastic brush knocked me into my wits.

"I'm afraid you're not my type."

She edged closer, sneering. "Too bad. I was thinking of having seafood tonight- oh well, I guess, your mommy would do. I mean, I've never tasted women before- And from a simple favor, maybe I'll do it quick."

No. She's just taunting me. She can't have my mom. She doesn't have my scent all over here for two whole months. She can't be tracked by these monsters. She was just buying in the nearest market-

With a jolt, I didn't take notice the clothes the bodies were wearing. Almost all of them were wearing navy-blue shirt with the logo of the hyper mart on the back. Some were clad in jeans and skirts, all bloodied and torn from the struggle. A trail of fresh blood was leading deeper into the forest, giving me the creeps.

Then a figure was dragging a body by the hair. The woman had deep gashes on her arms and yellow-bluish bruises were on top of it. She was losing consciousness but was still fighting her captor. This scene looked like it came from a 3D horror movie, only it was ten times scarier and real. I broke the grasp of the _dracaenae_ and ran to her.

"Mom." I breathed. I can't take her looking like this. She looked like she had been mauled by a rabid giant squirrel.

"Percy?" She opened one way that was turning black around it. Her brown eyes bored into mine. This is worse. Her eyes showed everything I need to see. Pain, sadness, love.

Acceptance.

My eyes burned in fury.

"No, mom. We're leaving together." I said fiercely.

Sally coughed. Her mouth was bloody and she offered a smile. It was gruesome to see my mom smiling like no care when she just looked like she just gargled with blood. I was literally shaking in anger right now.

"You know you remind me of your father, Percy." She retched and more blood came out of her mouth. Her gashes were still bleeding and it was trilling down the ground in thick red droplets.

"Just stay here." I whispered to her and turned to face the army that was waiting for me at the other end.

"I wonder if you're really the hero everyone believes in." Kelly taunted.

I readied my sword. "Why don't we find out?"

I lunged into the monsters, my mind running in autopilot as I killed as much monsters as I can.

_Hold on, mom._


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: I am terribly sorry for what is about to happen. Please forgive me...**

CHAPTER SEVEN:

My mind was fueled with the hate I felt for this monsters. I hacked, deflected, jabbed and slashed my sword into their bodies before exploding in a cloud of gold dust. With my brain on autopilot and my ADHD working overtime, I was a killing machine in the field. I threw my sword into a dracaena which was creeping towards my mother.

Without my sword, I thought, _what the heck?_

Shrugging, I punched and kicked each of them away from me. They went flying towards the trees. I pity some of them who literally got their head stuck inside. You don't want to face very pissed dryads. Ever. I felt my ballpoint pen return to my jeans pocket and took it out to slash them right and left. Soon enough, only a few dracaena and Kelli the Senior _Empousai_ was left on the other side. I threw my sword which impaled itself directly on the defending dracaena. They disappeared into a tower of golden dust.

Kelli staggered back in shock. "You killed my students." She whispered.

Then the air was filled with shrieks of fury coming from the _empousai_. "How dare you, Jackson? For that you will pay."

She picked up the spear from the fallen _dracaenae_, twirling it in her hands like a baton. Her hair was caught into flames and her eyes turned into a blood-red color. Her fangs slid out of her mouth and she hissed.

She lunged towards me with her spear raised high and I side-stepped to the left. She lost her balance and fell down. For a moment there, I thought it was over. But I was stupid not see her metal leg bumped into mine and sent me crashing on the floor. She pointed the spear on my throat but was met with the forest floor as I rolled away. I stood up and parried her strike. We exchanged attacks for a while and I felt my body weakening. I had my curse of Achilles given up for some safe access to Camp Jupiter so it was partially Hera's fault.

_Maybe cows greeting the hallways you walk into weren't really that bad if you were to compare losing your invulnerability._

I slashed my sword and broke her wooden spear in half.

Kelly grinned evilly. "You may have defied the titan of time but the gods' reign will end. It was simply delayed at the moment."

"Not on my watch." I yelled.

The _empousai_ licked her lips. "Maybe- or maybe not."

She glanced behind me and disappeared into a column of flames. I was bruised and tired and I wanted to have a nice long sleep but my mom's face appeared on my mind.

I ran to her side. Blood was still seeping from her wounds. Her face was deathly-white and she was breathing raggedly. There was a wooden arrow on her stomach. It wasn't fatal but I swallowed the acid coming up my throat as I saw it protrude on her back. I looked up and saw a huge cut on her chest. My pulse was beating loudly in my ears when I realized that this wound was fatal.

Fatal.

Oh no.

It looked too big for a spear or an arrow to have caused it. It must have been a big weapon. Waves were roaring in my ears as I realize that there is one weapon I know that could make such a fatal wound.

With a jolt, I looked down at the bronze weapon in my hands. The one I threw a few hundred yards away from me to kill the monster approaching her.

It was my sword that gave the deathly blow to my mom.

_Riptide did it._

A few dryads were at her other side working on their nature powers to lessen her pain. When I arrived, they shot me an apologetic glance and went back to their trees. I felt their stares on me and I couldn't care less. I carefully put her in lap in case I moved the arrow that protruded in her spine.

"Mom," I choked. "You've got to hold on. I'll bring you to Apollo. He'll-"

"Percy-"

"-take care of your wounds. It's not that bad. A few godly drops would work on you. Maybe Poseidon or even Hestia can-"

"Perseus!" She scolded. Tears were coming down my cheeks and I tasted the salty water in my mouth. A while ago, we were just talking about the Throne Room Incident, as we started to call it, and she was comforting me like a mother should. Now, she's all bloody and bruised that even Apollo can't change back time to heal the wounds.

_It was too late._

"Percy, can you sing me a song?" she whispered, putting a hand on my cheek. Her voice was too raspy I looked down and regretted it. Who in their right mind would want their mother's mouth bloody and gruesome?

I took a shuddering breath and hummed the first song that popped into my mind. I'm not really much of a singer and singing a Justin Bieber song in a very off-key voice was really not a good idea, but mom seemed contented. She sighed quietly and rested her head on my chest.

I stared into her eyes instead and knew that they would haunt me as long as I live. It was full of pain and agony but she kept on smiling as if it was nothing she couldn't handle. But there was something else as well. With a jolt, I realized that it wasn't all for my sake, that she was trying to be well for me. No, her eyes were full of-

_Acceptance._

I wanted to leave for a while and avenge her. I wanted to say that I wasn't who she dreams me to be. I wanted to yell at her for being so noble that she didn't run away when she had the chance. I wanted to be angry at her for leaving me to face this alone. I wanted to curse her for being so understanding, kind, loving, honest and overly independent enough not to ask any help from others. I wanted to do all this.

But I couldn't. I wouldn't.

"Percy," she whispered, putting a hand on my cheek. "You are so handsome. So kind. So selfless. Like your father was when I met him-," she coughed more blood. I winced at how fragile she sounded, as if she was a shattered glass that will be broken by one mere touch. "-I was lucky to be part of his world. Of both your worlds. You are the reason I am what I am now. And I can't express how proud I am that you grew into the man that I always wanted you to be."

I saw her life slowly leaking out of her lively brown eyes. I clenched my fists so tight the circulation was cut off. I didn't yell in pain or scream in anger. Each second that passed was too precious to be wasted. I always imagined myself slowly dying in battle, even if I don't want to, fully knowing that it would happen someday and that I want to be seen fighting for my life and what I believe in before I catch my very last breath.

But this was too much. It was my mother. The one who married my jerk of a stepfather to protect me, the one who got trapped in the Underworld for saving Grover and me, the one who was devastated when Hera kidnapped me and erased my memories and the one who was always there when everything crumbles down. Heck, she shrieked obscenities in Hades' oily face when she was with him and was not afraid to say anything in his face. I never knew my mom was really good with cussing and I do hope it would never be directed at me, but it took a lot of gut to slap Hades across the Underworld.

I know I may sound a bit sappy but I really don't care.

_If you really love someone, she can change you into somebody you never thought you could be._

"Take care of Ariadne for me, will you Percy?" She whispered. I strained my ears to catch her words.

"And-" She took a ragged breath. "And tell Poseidon that I will always love him. And pass to Paul that I will wait for him in the Underworld."

"I-I will, mommy." I sobbed. She smiled a bit. I have never called mom that way since I reached the age of five and I knew she missed me as her little baby boy. I choked on the sobs that were coming in my throat. This is too much. I can't lose my mom. I have to find some way to make her live.

_But you know well that she'll be living a hard life_, a voice in my head said.

_Shut up!_

_Let her go, Percy. Find the heart to let her go. _

"Percy-" She gasped. She was losing time. I saw the great effort she was using just to speak this long to me. And I would be forever grateful to Thanatos for extending the life of my mother for a little while just so I could hold her in my lap.

"Re-remember what I said about you going to be the greatest hero of all? You don't need to prove to anybody that you are. I love you, Percy. And you have always been and will always be-"

"-the greatest hero of all. Now, let go, sweetie." She sucked a deep breath and her hand on my cheek went slack. I closed her lids and put my forehead on hers to give my last farewell.

My dear mother has finally left me...

And I let her go.

I walked out of the elevator with unseeing eyes. The death of the most important person in my world has taken a huge toll on me. You know, I completely blame myself for her death and Ariadne and Paul would, too. And I won't fight back if they want me dead as well. Because I feel dead already, so what's the difference?

Clearly, I lost everything. I lost everything I care about. I have almost nothing to hold on to. I was certain Hestia would know by now of what had happened as she was keeping tabs on me and that her magical fireplace would dim with the tragic loss of a hero. But I don't know about the others. In fact, I told the dryads not to say anything to any of the gods, major or minor, and demigods, mortal or immortal. I felt like this was a secret I should keep, a memory that I shouldn't share with others because it was too special for me. The dryads nodded, and some hugged me for comfort, and a few satyrs worked on their reed pipes to bury my mother on the ground and be one with nature. I knew she wouldn't like it if we held a funeral for her. And she would prefer to pass away with the magic of our world.

_You are the reason I am what I am now._

I bit back a sob, trying not to be a crying baby. She said I made a really huge impact in her life. And she was glad it happened. That I happened. All those years of suffering for my safety were worth it because I was the reason she was so selfless. And because she was so selfless, she let herself be captive for the mortal's sake and that led to her death. As if she welcomed it with open arms.

If she was fine with it, why can't I be?

Because she's my mother.

I felt a cold breeze travel up my spine. I uncapped Riptide and readied myself instinctively. It has never failed me in battle. Except now. And if others need my help, I would assist in any way I can. Because the pain of losing a loved one cannot be inflicted to anyone, good or not.

I stopped in front of my apartment, mouth hanging open. The door was unhinged and there were scratches that looked like claws engraved on the wood. I pushed it away, slowly anticipating what was waiting for me inside. It was like watching a jack-in-a-box open up, surprising you when it springs up. Except this is thousand more times horrible than some children's toy.

What I saw made my blood freeze. The apartment was trashed, literally. Broken glass was lying on the floor and the couch stuffing was scattered around the place. The flat-screen TV was broken and the pictures that were hanged up on the wall were shattered on the floor. Dried blood was smeared on the walls and with a mix of golden dust.

_Monsters. _

I rushed to the kitchen. The linoleum floor was flooded ankle-deep with the faucet broken and water hissing from the pipes. Lying in the middle was Mrs. O'Leary, barely breathing. If she saw me, she didn't make a sign because she was wounded beyond belief. I approached her slowly and touched her wounds. She growled threateningly but when I hushed her, she relaxed and cuddled next to me. I examined them closely. It looked like she was slashed by very sharp claws on her side and there were sword slashes on her limbs. She was lying on a pool of blood. I silently wondered why she hasn't disappeared. But I pushed it out of my mind. I felt alone, and I was grateful that my loyal friend was there for me.

"Mrs. O'Leary?" I whispered. She grunted in reply.

"Did you reach Camp?" She growled and shook her head. She whimpered from the pain that some of the embedded glass on her skull was making. I pulled it out one by one and she nearly passed out. But for my sake, she held on.

_They were intercepted!_ I thought angrily.

"Is this your blood?" I knew she understood me. After waiting for like eternity, she shook her head with great effort. Mrs. O'Leary could still shadow-travel outside camp to contact Chiron when they were stopped, somehow.

_This is my fault. _

"Whose blood is it?" I waited with bated breath. Please let be those ugly monsters that somehow did not dissolve in fairy dust and bled to death before vanishing.

She raised her head and pointed her muzzle to something across the room. I picked it up and fell to my knees. It was a picture of Paul and Ariadne smiling with the Montauk beach behind them. They were grinning so wide, happiness oozing from their brilliant smiles. I remembered that I was still buried in the sand when they took that picture two months ago. What was months ago was eternity with what happened on this day.

I hugged the picture frame, hardly caring that the broken glass was piercing my chest. The unbearable pressure of losing my stepfather and sister was just too much for my shoulders to handle. It felt like I was carrying Atlas' burden of the sky again, but multiply it a hundred times and you wouldn't even come close. My breath slipped in gasping ones as I sobbed uncontrollably. Mrs. O'Leary stood up and edged closer to me. I hugged her with all that I have.

"Woof." She barked quietly.

I saw her huge eyes welling up with a few tears of her own. I didn't know hellhounds could cry. But then Mrs. O'Leary wasn't a normal hellhound. She had been a part of our family ever since her last master passed away and handed her to me. She had made a connection with Paul and mom and became a trustworthy friend to Ariadne. I would always owe my pet for all the things she had done.

I could see she banged whoever was monstrous enough to kill three of the best person in the world with her best shot and I hoped that she smashed their skull really hard they wouldn't forget her and the people they murdered for the rest of their life. And I would avenge them.

But what good would it do if you know they wouldn't want you to avenge them?

_Nothing._


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: You kept your side of the deal, now I should keep mine... Here's the next chapter! More reviews=more chapters!**

** Please keep up with dramatic Percy for a while... Because I can't help but think that I may have to prepare all of you for the next chapters to come.**

CHAPTER EIGHT:

I ran as fast as I dared. Olympus was a few blocks away and I won't let my fatigue get the best of me. So I ran faster, ignoring the cries my muscles were making. I reached the lobby and, thank the gods; there were no mortals lounging on the seats. The receptionist was reading a book with his feet on the table. He was too engrossed not to notice me standing in front of him.

"I would like the pass for the 600th floor." I said hastily.

"There's no 600th floor, kid. Run away now before I chase you away from here with my baton." He said without looking away from his book.

I resisted to do an uppercut punch on the guard and said with gritted teeth. "Look, I need passage to the gods. And if you don't want Poseidon's wrath upon you, you'll let me pass now."

At the name of my dad, he looked up and his eyes widened in fear. He rummaged in his desk and gave me the card.

"Don't pass the metal detectors. And you know what to do." I nodded in thanks and inserted the card on the slot. The elevator doors dinged close and button labelled 600 appeared. I pushed it and waited. The elevator music was playing "Nothing" by the Script, courtesy of Thalia. Usually, listening to this kind of music wasn't my thing but then I heard the lyrics- Which affected me than any song I had listened to.

As I listened, I thought of how my life has changed drastically. Heracles was the only hero I admired for his rotten luck and until now, even if he's alive and a jerk, I still kind of feel better when I think of how his life had worked out for him. But then, living a demigod's life is never easy. And as far as everything went, my life is a bad place to be in. Even worse than Heracles'.

The doors opened and I stepped out, hardly acknowledging the beauty of Olympus. Or what was I considered beauty. It was heavenly as ever, but this wasn't the place I want to be living in. Peace and happiness is the main purpose most demigods dream of being immortal.

But I wasn't dreaming of it. Basically, it means that you don't know the real purpose as to why you're still alive, smashing Hydra heads with your shield. Everything lies in the real world. The pain, suffering; everything a god thinks he shouldn't be living in. But that was where I found my happiness. Sure, it was hard along the way, but it was worth it in the end.

_But when you have nothing left, you'd wonder why you even tried to live a normal life when it's just going to stab you in the back._

I didn't notice the minor gods, satyrs and dryads staring at me as I made my way into the market. I must've looked horrible because their jaws were hanging open. And those people rarely get surprised after what I have done for Olympus.

They must've never seen a great hero with eyes puffy from crying a whole waterfall of tears. Good, that way they'll know that they are living in their perfect little bubble and don't care of others unless their butts are hanged on the wire.

The gates of Olympus opened and the majestic palace was built in the middle. I hastily wiped my eyes and washed my face with the water in the fountain. I stopped in the doorway of the throne room and saw all the gods gathered together in their human forms.

They looked bored and were doing their own thing. Apollo was listening in his IPod with his Ray-Bans glasses on. Hermes was answering messages with his phone. Aphrodite was cuddling next to Ares who was polishing his sword. Hephaestus was tinkering (always did) with something on his handkerchief. Demeter was making plants grow and, once in a while, was shooting Hades hateful glowers. Artemis and Athena were in deep conversation with each other. Dionysus was drinking Coca-Cola out of the can. Hera was glaring hard at Zeus who was bickering quietly with Poseidon and Hades.

The gods, in all of their powers, were enough to trample Olympus with a mere blast.

I felt somebody approach me and turned to see Hestia in her full-grown form. Her flaming eyes were dulled into a small one as she pulled me away from the doorway and gave me a wordless hug.

I always treated Hestia as my mother even if she is quite younger than me most of the times. She was the only one who understands the life of demigods. In some ways, she is the most vulnerable but in many ways, she is the strongest of all. The Hearth. What she said to me before was blurry for me to fully understand. Now I do. I understand completely.

I let out a shuddering breath as I hugged her back. She was the first person to comfort me from my loss. And I was grateful for her help. But I have to be strong for what I was about to do.

She quietly gasped as she read my mind. She pulled away and stared at me.

"Percy, please. You can't do this." She said.

"I have to, Hestia. And I want to tell you how thankful I am because you treated me like your own son. And I feel like you're my second mother so don't be sad. Now… Please let me go." A few tears escaped my eyes and trilled down my cheeks. I can't help it. I have to release some of the agony I'm feeling before I explode. Hestia began to cry silently as she felt a part of my loss, her shoulders shuddering with sobs. I gaped. I've never seen her cry before. She told me that as a goddess of the hearth, she feels what others feel. And if I made Hestia cry, it means it was too much painful than I would ever know. I hugged her and pulled away.

I wiped my face of tear tracks and entered the throne room. Immediately, they sat up as they saw me standing in front of them. I bowed at each of them and faced the king of the gods.

"Percy Jackson. To what pleasure do we owe you?" Zeus boomed. Poseidon was looking at me in confusion.

"Percy, what happened to you?" Poseidon urged. I did not face him and kept my gaze on the king of the gods.

"I've come with a proposal." I tried as hard as I could not to break down. I steeled my nerves and stared at each of them down.

"And what is this proposal?" Zeus asked, bored.

"I'm fairly certain that you would be ecstatic at the mere request I'm about to give you, Lord Zeus." I said my face impassive.

"Oh?" I caught Zeus' attention.

At the corner of my eyes, I saw Hestia huddled on her hearth instead of her throne, her back to us, and was sobbing quietly.

"But before I make my choice, Lady Athena?" I looked at the god in question. "May I please hear the agreement my father and I had the last time I was here?"

Athena was staring at me incredulously before clearing her throat out. "Lord Poseidon granted you the gift of immortality to which you refused. And he pointed out that if you have any request that he could grant, you just say the word and it will be granted."

I nodded in thanks. If I have any request that he could grant… He wouldn't grant me this. Anything but this, I'm sure. But if I played my card well, he'll do nothing except to eat the bait.

"Thank you, Lady Athena." At this moment, all gods stopped what they're doing and turned to listen as well. "Father, you said that you could grant me any request that I want as long as it is in your power?"

"Percy, where are going with all of this?" Poseidon whispered, slightly scared of what he might ask.

"Father, my request is a simple one that could help others," I risked a glance at Athena. "To, er, move on with their lives."

"Percy," Hestia turned to me and whispered; many tear tracks visible in her face. "Please don't do this."

"What do you mean 'don't do this?'" Apollo butted in.

"Percy?" Poseidon asked.

I did not answer Poseidon. I turned to Hestia who was now sobbing uncontrollably. Silence filled the gods when they saw tears coming down Hestia's face. "Hestia, let me go."

"I can't!" She cried. "You are like a son to me. I can't let you handle this on your own."

I felt slightly better that Hestia cares for me. Hestia is the soft-spoken person in the council and it was astounding to see her cry and yell that she treats me like a son. My hard expression broke down and I almost cried myself.

"Hestia, please." I pleaded. The gods gasped. I never pleaded for anything in my life. If I didn't get, I'll just let it go. This one is an exception. I can't give up on them. I wouldn't. Hestia broke down into more sobs. Artemis stood up from her throne and wrapped a shoulder around Hestia, who crumpled on the floor.

"Percy, why is Aunt Hestia crying?" Hermes looked at me. The others simultaneously turned their on me, expecting an answer.

I took a deep breath. Here it goes.

I kneeled in front of my father and took my ballpoint pen. It wasn't hard to act all tired and sore as the fight in Central Park exhausted me. The other gods were curious as well as cautious at the sight of the blade. They thought that I would attack them. And they were wary because of the huge display I did last time I was here. I could do it but it would take too long. Besides, I had more pressing matters.

I uncapped Riptide and turned the hilt of the sword towards my father. To say he was shocked was an understatement, he was speechless. I squeezed my palm unto the sharp edge. My hand was burning as blood trickled down my wrist and into the floor. I looked up beseechingly into my father's disbelieving face.

"Kill me, father."


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: Aw, come on, guys! You know you could do better than that...The review button isn't made for you to just stare at it. My Halloween break is about to end on Monday, and I really don't think I could update this fast (and mind you, I always do things ahead of time) what with school and all s*** with my subjects... **

**You wanna hear about Chaos? **

**[I'm such a villain :) ]**

**REALIZATIONS...it always stabs you in the back at the moment when you least expect it. Realizations are a b**** but sometimes, they're angels.**

CHAPTER NINE:

"What?" Poseidon roared. His face was blotchy red from anger, disbelief and something that I can't recognize. Athena gasped loudly. The rest are-well, they aren't saying anything so I didn't notice.

"Please, dad. Just do it." I motioned the sword upwards. My hand was screaming in pain as the blade dug deeper into my palm.

Poseidon saw my hand and his furious gaze landed on me. "Put the sword down, Percy."

I shook my head. "I won't. Not unless you give me an answer."

"No, Percy!" He cried. "I wouldn't kill my son!"

I heard somebody mumble on the side. "I'd be glad to do it, Uncle."

"Shut up, Ares. You don't have the right to join here." Poseidon snapped, never leaving my gaze. "Percy, please think this through."

"I know what I'm doing, dad. Please do this for me. Just this once." I said.

"I wouldn't kill my son! Never!" He exclaimed.

"Look, you said you can grant me anything as long as you can do it, right? And you're powerful to do this. So why not? Please." I begged. I must have looked terrible with my hoarse voice and my tattered clothes because Poseidon shed a tear.

"Why are you doing this?" Poseidon sniffed.

"I lost everything." I bowed my head.

Silence.

I felt my arm turn jelly and I shifted the other, holding the edge instead of the hilt. I know some of you are wondering why I would ask help for suicide especially from my dad when I could just kill myself and get away with as an accident.

You want the truth?

I am scared. There, I said it. I am scared of ending my life. I am terrified of dying by myself and facing my mom who should be disappointed now. I know that I am a coward. Even if everybody keeps saying that I'm brave, powerful, and all that dung. I only want to get the chance to live because I knew I had something to go back to. The camp deserted me, my friends and I went separate ways, Ariadne, Paul ad mom…

Well, you get the idea.

"Percy." I looked up and saw Athena looking at me, her gray eyes glinting. "I know that my daughter's decision affected you. But at least have the decency to act happy for her. She had chosen the path that is right for her and you're getting in her way."

Bull crap. I was getting in her way? She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "I meant that you should give her a chance to have a life. She had gone through serious problems with you while at camp."

"Problems?" I whispered. The gods flinched at the dark undercurrent of my tone. "You honestly think she is the one having problems now?"

"Well, from her side of the story, she said that you were becoming violent and harsh and she was afraid you would hurt her if you completely lost it." Athena rambled. Apollo and Artemis were making cutting gestures at her.

_Don't let her stop. Keep her talking. I'm sure she'll like my answer._ They flinched at my thought.

I laughed darkly. "Percy Jackson? Violent? Harsh? My, my, for a goddess of wisdom, you're surely losing your touch."

She blushed crimson. "How dare you say that to a god?"

"Easy. Because he is too devastated to move on because of a stupid daughter of Athena and that daughter isn't here so he'll bad-mouth the person who made her instead."

Athena made a move to grab me when Apollo and Hermes flashed to her side and held her there. "Percy, please stop." Apollo warned.

"Stop? Oh, I'm just getting started."

If my dad wouldn't give rid of me in a flash, I'll let the others do it.

"You think you gods are so high-and-mighty that we, your children, are just dust beneath your fingers…A pesky fly that you couldn't get rid off unless you will it to. Well, guess what? You can't live without us. You can't flash from city to city without satyrs and dryads following your way with heads bowed down for your so-called respect. You can't have the perfect life without your loyal demigods risking their petty lives and kicking butts all the time for you. You'd say that your way cannot be changed...that it' stated in your Ancient Laws. You hardly cared before and, suddenly, you changed your mind because you got hit by the face by your stupid habit of hiding in the backs of others." I spat.

I knew I was a little too harsh. They were still having a difficult time handling the loss of their other children who perished in the war with us. And they accepted my wish for the other demigod children to have cabins in both camps. But I knew they just accepted because I told them to. True, they felt guilty about it. They all looked down in shame and I saw some of them with tears in their eyes. But you can't realize something without being told. And I just happened to have the guts to spit it in their godly faces.

"And to think that I thought you were powerful enough to save other's lives as a thank-you gift for all that we've done, but no, you just let the monsters get to your kids and try to kill them, prove if they are worth it. I wonder how you would feel if we sent monsters to you day and night non-stop for all eternity. Oh, right... You'll feel sad because you can't defend your godly hinds from those ugly monsters. And then you'll regret their deaths for a day and then forget about them and move on. Do you know how painful it is to lose someone you love? The funny thing is, the Savior of Olympus, the one Poseidon called 'a wrongdoing' and the son of one of the Big Three, knows exactly what to feel."

_Oh no. _

I planned to make them angry at me for saying cruel words at them about their past mistakes. But the wave of emotions came crashing down on me and I was swept by it. The gods gasped in disbelief and Poseidon's lips was quivering.

"What do you mean?" Poseidon choked.

I did not answer. I was too weak to relive all the memories again in the same night. It was much too painful. I can still remember everything that happened, every word my mom had uttered before she died-All of it. I've had many experiences with deaths and all that stuff, but it was a once in-a-lifetime experience to see your mother breath go away and never come back.

"His family was murdered an hour ago, Poseidon, by many of the Titans' minions. All of them." Hestia whispered. They gave me sympathetic stares and I felt a wave of anger crash before me.

"Percy, I'm sorry-" Athena began.

"No!" I shouted. "You're not sorry. Don't even try because you'll never be. Because you don't know what it's like in there, fighting with all you can to protect your mom and those innocent people. You don't know how it feels to have your mother die with her blood on your sword. You can't know how hard it was not to commit suicide right then and there as your mother breathes her last words. You can't possibly know what I felt when I saw my hellhound dying as she lay in her blood that was my sister and stepfather's. You don't know anything!" I yelled.

Physically and emotionally exhausted, I saw black around me and crumpled on the floor.

! #$%^&*()

I woke up with a blinding light hitting my face.

_Oh gods, they really killed me._

But why am I feeling pain? Hades must have really hated me to let me suffer pain even after death. Wasn't it supposed to be painless and peaceful once you die? And I did not do really bad things that can be counted on the list in the Fields of Punishments.

I turned my head to the side and saw a glass of apple cider on the table. Parched, I drank a bit. It wasn't apple cider, it was nectar. Within a few seconds, the glass was empty and I put it down.

"How are you feeling?" Apollo was standing in the doorway with a sad smile on his face.

"I'm fine." I croaked. I cringed at the sound of a frog choking that was my voice.

"No. You're not." He sat on the edge of my bed. "I know how you feel."

"You can't know that." I mumbled, pained at the memories coming back.

"Technically, I can. God of dreams here; does that ring a bell to you?" Apollo joked. I gave him a small smile. Then he sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry that I snooped into your mind. I didn't mean to but I was intrigued. And then I watched it and immediately regretted it. I felt the potency of the agony you felt that night. It was horrible. I was crying out loud. And it wasn't my secret to tell so I kept it. But imagine their surprise when they caught me bawling over some boxes of tissues. I've never seen such a drastic one." He shivered.

"I get it. You had to know. And I forgive you. It's just a matter of time before somebody knows it too. Hestia was the first one who knew, you know." I sighed.

"So that's why she was all drama and theatre a few days ago. She never cried before. Even Hades was shocked and he's one of the oldest gods in the family." Apollo mused.

"Yeah, I was too. She was bawling wait what? A few days ago?"

"Yep, you were unconscious for three days. There were some internal wounds in your stomach and there was a fatal one near the heart. But it's nothing I could handle." Apollo smiled.

"If there was a fatal wound on my chest, why did you treat it? If you saw the pain I was in, the least you can do is let me die, right?" I rubbed my chest.

The tension rose as his smile vanished into a frown.

He grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eye. "Percy, don't ever think that way-Ever. And if I'm perfectly honest, I almost considered that one when I read your memories, and from what I saw in your reaction towards Annabeth," I stiffened. "It was a good idea. But you haven't seen Poseidon yet. He was an emotional wreck, I tell you. He trashed his throne room in Atlantis and destroyed most of the temples here on Olympus, including Hera's."

I cringed. No sane person would make the Queen of the gods mad. Unless you call yourself '_Thalia Grace'._

Apollo shrugged. "I know. It was a horrifying sight. Zeus and Hades nearly wrestled the trident out of your father's hands when he pointed it at his neck."

"I didn't know he felt that way." I said, shocked and guilty. I was driven by the idea of following my family in the Underworld that I didn't think of my father. I was being selfish for not thinking about how my father would feel.

"You know, we may not be the greatest parents in the world but we still care." Apollo sighed. "And you were lucky to have Poseidon as a father at his best. Truthfully, he never cared about his demigod kids because they can manage themselves most of the times. But when you happened, he changed. He lacked on his responsibility with the seas because he was frantic with worry if you had you diaper changed or if you're wailing your voice out because some kid stole your fish toy. He always keeps on his update from Hermes, Hestia, me and sometimes Hades when he is desperate. He knows you can protect yourself all the time but when he hears that my children healed you from your wounds, even small ones, it was hard to pull Poseidon away from releasing his godly form that was going to bash some monster's head with his trident."

My mind was spinning with the information Apollo had given. "He really did all that?"

Apollo nodded. "Yeah, it was kind of funny to watch, actually. Once, when I forgot to check up on you, it was impossible to escape his anger at me for 'letting his son all by himself in the dark without any of his toys beside him'. And I vowed to myself never to get near that trident again." He flinched. "Look, the point is- Poseidon cares about you. Like, really cares that he'll sacrifice his powers and kingdom for you. It may be impossible to believe so, but it's true. I was his favorite nephew and he opens up at me and all the time we're discussing about you."

My father cares for me. I felt hope gather in me as I realized that. It may seem that everyone had left me, but my father was there by my side. It sounds a bit stalker-ish really but it's my father that we're talking about. The only god who I know gives a damn about his children.

Apollo smiled. "Go talk to your father. He's about to panic right about…now."

As soon as he finished talking, a booming voice spoke, shaking the entire palace. "Apollo! You haven't killed my son now, did you?"

"He's fine. Geez, no need to be such a worry-wart!" Apollo yelled back. I chuckled softly. That was a really pathetic comeback. Ariadne could've made a better one, hands down.

_Ariadne. _I shook my head and ignored the painful jab in my heart. It was my fault that she's gone and I never even gave her the chance to live a good few years. The world should be bleak and cold if an amazing kid, like my sister, is gone.

No. My sister isn't dead. She must've escaped or at least contacted Nico or Thalia or even Chiron. Ari is resourceful, one of the things she learned from me. I remember the time when she asked for Thalia's phone number (I know, kids these days. Always the technology expert) and when Thalia couldn't give one, she asked for another way of contact. Same with Nico- I swear, that kid doesn't know the meaning of technology.

Yes, I refuse to believe that Ariadne is dead. Paul and mom may be gone, but I have a responsibility to my little sister.

_She is alive, I can feel it._

With that thought, I felt my heart weight lighter and I found the chance to joke around. "Why don't you just zap yourself near him so you can talk to him like a normal person?" I asked.

"Now where's the fun in that?" We turned and saw Hermes standing in the doorway in his jogging suit and a smile. I cringed. A pranking smile. Oh gods. He sat beside Apollo and patted my shoulders.

"Worry-wart my butt! He's supposed to get his dosage of medicine a second ago! He might die if you don't do it now! And I'm going to blast you into pieces if you ever consider THAT again!" Poseidon shrieked.

But before Apollo could answer, Hermes yelled. "Hey, Uncle P!"

"What is it now, Hermy?" Poseidon growled.

"Hermy?" Apollo choked in laughter. I smiled and waggled my eyebrows at Hermes.

"Stop calling me that! And I happen to know that Apollo is now cutting the wires that are connected to Percy's lungs so he couldn't breathe!" Hermes shouted back as Apollo was removing the wires on my nose just so I could breathe in normally. Technically, he's right but then from the news Apollo said about Poseidon being a wreck and his earlier comment, this is huge.

"Crap." Apollo muttered before being grabbed from behind by a cherry-red Poseidon.

"Stay still and don't open your eyes, Perce." Hermes winked and joined the other two.

I followed what they said and closed my eyes. My mind slipped into a deep slumber as the events of the last few nights came back to me. Suddenly, everything went away.

Then something weird happened.


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: Ohoho, I don't think so! I can't leave you guys hanging! Especially I may or may not update tomorrow :( anyway, please RATE&REVIEW you won't regret it especially with what is coming... Just say your comments please, your silence is leaving me hanging!**

**Get ready for the shock of your life...Oh, wait, not yours but Percy's.**

CHAPTER TEN:

You know the feeling that you are floating and you are certain you know that you're lying in your bed, exactly on the ground like you know you were? Well, that happened. I looked down and saw myself on the bed. My dad was on the doorway with Apollo in a headlock and Hermes laughing on the sidelines. But what came as a surprise was when I saw myself on the bed; it looked like I was barely breathing.

_Oh my gods, I really died? _

"That's it? After pleading, crying, bleeding, shouting and spitting at the gods, I'm going to die because I slept?"

Geez, it sounds even more pathetic once you say it out loud. I could almost hear Hermes announce to everyone that the great Percy Jackson, the Hero of Olympus, passed away while he's drooling in sleep. A laughingstock, I'm sure. I was vaguely aware that I was wearing a hospital nightgown and not the jeans and shirt I wore when I went there. I silently prayed that they wouldn't bury me alive in a nightgown because that would be the end of my social life- If I ever have one in the Underworld, of course.

After the initial surprise, I turned to look at my surroundings. Where in Hades am I?

I was floating in black place. I mean, literally black. No trees, no buildings. Heck, even no dust. Except for some small glowing dots scattered randomly around the place. At first, I thought I just got passage in-Oh gods, forbid- Hades' room, which scared me a LOT.

But then there are no signs that Hades sleeps in here. No skulls, no pictures of torture and all that bad-boy-image. I did not even have a glimpse of his magical gym shorts-not that I was peeking intentionally. But this is a stranger place than the Underworld.

"I can assure you that you are perfectly alive and well. And as for the other question, you are-how do I put this?-in me, son." A voice behind me chuckled.

I turned and saw a tall man with black robes that goes well with the background. But his robes were somehow shining. His pale skin was in contrast with his robes but his eyes were a distracting blood-red color. As if all of the blood in his body somehow got into his eyes and stayed there. Must be caused by many headstands, I thought.

I died in my sleep and got eaten by a sparkly dude with freaky red eyes that looked like he just got off a giant electric fan that showered him huge boxes of glitters in a mega-sale event in a mall. Wow, this just keeps getting better and better.

"Your thoughts are refreshing to hear, son." He smiled. I peered in closely and saw white fangs a bit longer than his normal ones. My heart beat up faster.

"You're not an _empousai_, are you?" I said.

The man was taken back. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh, you know- those ugly vampires with those weird legs that were like a donkey's and a Hephaestus' automaton's put together-Very dangerous. They trick you with their weird powers and then eat you. Looks like a model but is definitely a member of those vampire fan clubs." I said.

I was surprised to hear the man laugh. It was a mysterious one, though. It was a mix between a sonic boom, a snort and something I couldn't think of. It wasn't scary but it was definitely startling.

"You are one-of-a-kind, Perseus Jackson. I am impressed." The man laughed.

"How did you know my name?" My eyes narrowed in suspicion. I mean, seriously, who would be impressed by what I described of those monsters. It was true but it hardly counts as a description.

"Why, I was the one who summoned you here, of course. And I wouldn't do anything that might raise your suspicion." The man said.

"So, let's make this clear-you're not going to eat me, right?" The man rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Yes, my digestion wouldn't handle it. Now, make yourself comfortable." Immediately, two white couches appeared.

I eyed one of the couches, cautious. It would be the death of me if I would just accept something from a complete and scary stranger in a place that looks like the Underworld. Remembering Persephone's curse, I patted the foam for some hidden weapon or the bag that makes fart noises. Hey, if I should be cautious, I'd make thorough.

When I found nothing suspicious, I sighed quietly and sat down.

"Okay, I believe you. So, what do you mean, I'm in you? Did you accidentally summon me in your stomach or something? Because if you did, that'll answer a lot of my questions." I shrugged.

He shook his head in amusement. "I've heard of your, ah-colorful remarks, boy. And it is amusing indeed. But to answer your questions…No, I did not summon you in my stomach or in any of my body parts and as for your other question; you are in me because this place is me."

This dude is crazy.

"What?" I said.

"You are in the void, Perseus."

Okay, now I'm confused. The Void?

"Where in the world is that? Nobody ever told me about a place named like that. And if they did, maybe I wasn't listening or they're spouting useless facts while I was bashing monster heads." I mused.

The man ignored my comment. "This is the void. And the void is me."

I waved a hand to stop him from speaking. "Okay, this isn't making sense. I'm in the void," He nodded. "And you are the void."

"Correct." He said.

"Then why did you tell me I'm not inside you when you said it yourself that I'm in the void and you are the void. Am I missing something here?" I raised an eyebrow.

He chuckled. "I do not have an inkling of an idea of how your mind runs but I'll give you a simplified version of my existence."

Then he grew serious. "You see, the primordial gods-or who you stubbornly call the 'Gaia meanies'—weren't the first ones to rule the Earth. Only a few of the stories ever said my name so you wouldn't know. I was the one who created Gaia and her brothers and sisters. I was the one who made the universe. Your scientific theories made out vague impressions of the origin of the universe. And some of them are accurate; specifically the one that they pointed out that the universe came from a big explosion. Well, I was that explosion. In other words, I am Chaos, the First One and Creator of the Universe." He explained.

I digested that in my mind and I was relieved it actually made a bit sense-For me, at least.

"So, you're saying, you're the Universe and you're a very powerful man." I finished.

"Only a unique man such as yourself can simply understand the long tale of how I existed and explain with a few words. And yes-I am, technically, one with the Universe." The man, or Chaos, nodded.

"But shouldn't you be evil? Like from your name, it sounds like you're trouble." I said. Added also the fact you created Gaia and her goons, but I didn't add that one.

Chaos frowned. "I am the good and evil. Not one could be with the other. For instance, as long as the Olympian gods reign among your people, my sons and daughters reign in Tartarus who happens to be my son as well. Or the fact that once Thor is resurrected from the ashes of Asgard, the Midgard Serpent shall put an end to his life. Evil will not exist if good doesn't. Many philosophies believe in balance and order: Greeks, Norse, and Chinese, even the famous Ma'at and Isfet if you're Egyptian but they are a bit unwelcoming to me, though. I retain the balance in the world. If evil is reigning, I have to help the good. And if good is staying longer than expected, well—you get the picture."

That's not a good image.

I shivered involuntarily and changed the subject. "And now I'm in space? With no breathing bubble like those space suit guys were putting around their head to breathe?"

He smiled roguishly. "If you're with me, there's no need for that 'breathing bubble' you're mentioning. And you're not exactly in space."

"Where am I, then?" I asked.

"You're still on Earth. My headquarters on Earth is somewhere between Australia and that big chunk of ice they call Antarctica. I also have a few bases in Alaska and Russia and some places we don't need to go into, but this is the ideal one for meetings. So I pulled you away from your body so I could talk to you here." He shrugged.

"Why can't you just zap on Olympus and talk to me there to save you some trouble?" I asked. It was disconcerting to know that you are partly on Earth and space. I wondered if my body was sawed in three parts just so I could be on Olympus, some headquarters in the middle of nowhere and in space itself.

Chaos frowned. "I work on a need-to-know basis. My grandchildren need not know that someone else is ruling their domains and a war is out of the question. Besides, I pulled you here to talk to you in private."

"Oh. Okay. Shoot." It was weird to hear someone call the Olympians their grandchildren when the gods must have been thousand years old in the context.

Chaos stared at me with unreadable eyes before answering. "I came here to serve as a messenger of the Oracle and the Fates."

My blood turned cold. Fates? "You mean—"

"Yes," He sighed. "It concerns a prophecy."

_This is so not my day._

I huffed heavily. "Look, I really don't want to read omens of death right now so could you wait after I die?"

He nodded. "I understand. But this concerns your race. And as I pointed out, I am merely a messenger."

Then weird things happened. His figure emitted a very bright light it made yellow spots in my eyes. I closed my eyes and waited for an impact of some sort. When I felt nothing, I opened my eyes—and received the greatest impact of my life.

Chaos's eyes vanished. In the place of the blood-red orbs lie the deepest black eyes I've ever seen. It felt like it was staring right into my soul. I shivered involuntarily. Then he opened his mouth and spoke in a raspy voice. This is not Chaos, I thought. It sounded like Rachel when she begins spouting words that really doesn't make sense. But it doesn't sound like the three voices I hear when a prophecy is being said. No, these voices sounded too ancient, too old to be the Oracle of Delphi. It sounded like the-

Fates.

"_Perseus Jackson."_ Three raspy voices spoke at once. I silently wondered why they, out of all people, have raspy voices when they pretty much speak for centuries, trying to scare off demigods. I mean, really, do these people even know the use of water?

"_You have opened the paths of the gods. Together, these may prevail or tremble beneath thy power. For the sake of thy race, ask what you seek."_ Chaos's face was blank and empty except for his moving lips. It was horrifying to hear him speak like this.

My mind was in ripples. I couldn't think straight and all of the things that had happened to me made my head spin. Still, I said in the most confident voice I could muster, "Pass unto me the knowledge of the prophecy."

Chaos's lips emitted a greenish-black smoke as he said the words that horrified me to no end.

_The hero of old shall perish in lightning and thunder_

_He shall face the god in deep slumber_

_One shall turn, one shall fall_

_Seek the power where lies all_

_But take heed of the promise of the revengeful_

_To see the world fall in the villainy of the rule_

_The path shall speak to yield on what has been done_

_The downfall of Olympus, the Armageddon of a new dawn_

Then as fast as the voices spoke, they were gone. I shook my head and regained my senses. "Wait—what do you mean perish in lightning and thunder? And what Armageddon are you talking about?"

That was useless. Chaos inhaled deeply and resumed back to his previous state. He shook his head and sniffed in disdain. "I never had any fondness with this kind of experience."

But I hardly heard a word he said since my nerves couldn't take what I heard. Yep, I almost collapsed. If there was one thing that I didn't think of as a probable topic with a conversation with a powerful man, this is it. Downfall and Armageddon? We haven't had the chance to fix the camp when the war with Gaia ended months ago and now evil will come again? Not that it was unexpected. Evil has a nasty habit of not staying dead for a long time.

"Is it in my time?" I asked, hoping that it will happen a few thousand years later, long after I'm dead. And the prophecy stated that a hero of the old shall face this madness. I couldn't wish this tragedy to any immortal hero, even a jerk named Heracles. But, as my experiences always say, wishing for the dearest thing you want to happen don't really happen. If one more war happens and I would become a part of it, I'm going to scream bloody murder.

Chaos met my worried gaze. I was scared of the expression on his red eyes. "If you choose to be."

"What do you mean by that?" I nearly shrieked. I was totally freaking out.

He sighed resignedly. "Let me explain, child. It means that the biggest prophecy of all time, made by the Fates themselves, is about to begin and the hero of the old, the demigod who possesses the power to make the most important choice ever to be made is talking about you, Perseus."

Yep, I lost it.


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: You know what? Because of your generous and heart-warming reviews, you all deserve a little bit of a treat. Besides, doesn't viewers deserve a gift of appreciation? But don't get used to it, you still have my trust on your reviews :)**

**I feel bad for Percy. How I do wish we could make everything better. Sadly, I am in no condition to fight evil Greek goons at the moment since I am completely and inexplicably mortal...so...Good luck there, mate!**

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

I woke up, slightly wishing that I was back in my bed and that my dad, Apollo and Hermes were still bickering on the doorway. I was wrong. Chaos' worried face peered into my vision. His eyes lit up in relief as I stood up shakily off the ground. Or what I assume is the ground if you're lying in a bottomless pit with the creator of the Universe.

"Are you alright, son? You were screaming really loud." Chaos asked, anxious.

"Yeah, I—I'm fine. Just a little shocked." That was the biggest understatement ever. I wasn't just shocked. I was feeling every emotion known to mankind. The news was so overwhelming I'm a bit surprised I didn't die from some panic attack right then and there.

Now I'm one-hundred percent sure the Fates hate me with a burning passion. I just finished the Great Prophecy at sixteen and was a part of the Next Great Prophecy a year after that. And now—I get to have the Greatest Great Prophecy of all time with the Fates serving as the Oracle.

Great life I have there.

But then, Chaos said if I choose to be…What would happen if I didn't?

Chaos was staring at me with a mix of pity and surprise. "I, myself, was shocked to see the Fates gathered in my place, standing there with no care in the world. I knew it wasn't some friendly visit but I didn't expect that they delivered to me a prophecy so ancient that time cannot say when it was issued. And then we waited for a long time to happen, and now, you're here." He said it like it was miracle.

_Like I was a miracle. _Oh great, now how am I supposed to break the news that I'm not some freaking superhero to a very confused guy that happens to be the creator of the whole universe?

"Can't it be somebody else?" I asked.

Chaos thought it over and shook his head. "The prophecy did not specify the lineage of the child, only saying that a hero of the old is the hero of the prophecy and will save the world from unending doom, unless he perish in battle. A little bit clichéd if you ask me, but I can't question the Fates. Even I am bound by the laws. So I watched each of my sons and daughters's children since they are the most probable to possess the power but none showed potential or even a small trace of ancient magic."

I felt a bit relieved. So it can or can't be me…I was hoping for the latter, actually.

Chaos stared at me. "Well, except you."

Wow, bit harsh on their part. Just finished two wars here!

"How did that happen? I'm just a typical son of Poseidon. I can't be somebody else, especially a child of the sea with some deep magic in his guts. And as far as I know, I'm not that powerful or even old to be considered a hero of the olden times." I countered.

He pondered it over. "Prophecies are too vague to be deciphered in the beginning, Perseus. You of all people should know that by now."

I knew what he meant. In the First Titan War, I wasn't the hero whom the prophecy is referring to. It was Luke Castellan, son of Hermes, who sacrificed himself and blasted Kronos deep into Tartarus. But still, it doesn't explain the five hard years of quests I endured just to reach my sixteenth birthday.

"So, it can't be me?"

He hesitated. "I did not say that. In technicality, it may or may not be you in the prophecy. However, the Fates are justifying that it is no coincidence that you are the chosen hero."

"I'm not that hero! Are you crazy?" I know, really bad move. Sure, I take my sweet time pissing the gods off; involuntary of course, because I know they're too predictable when pissed. But you may never know what would happen with the ruler of the universe. I would hate to think how Chaos copes with anger management issues.

He raised an eyebrow. "Though I can be a bit psychotic at times, I mean no lie with what I said. You are and must be the hero of the prophecy- that I can assure you."

"How? You mean to say, the second I was born, I was destined to fulfil this madness? Aren't there others before me that could've been?"

Chaos scratched his chin. "Well, no, at your first years, I thought there was nothing special in you so I overlooked you. I went through Jason and Thalia Grace, son and daughter of Zeus, and before that with Nico and Bianca di Angelo, son and daughter of Hades, but they were as expected of what a child of the Big Three should be. Then you came along. Poseidon sired you with Sally Jackson,"

I flinched at my mom's name.

"And you were born. A true leader by blood, part man-part god by heritage, and a noble and selfless young man by choice—the makings of a hero like no other."

"So I kept an eye on you as you progress into a young man. Monsters came to you unceasingly—some wanting to devour you, others a bit curious about your scent and the strange aura that was surrounding you. So I protected you from them by influencing your mother into marrying the mortal Gabe Ugliano." I hissed at the name of my jerk of a stepfather.

"Then you reached your twelfth year of life. You were seated on a Greyhound bus with Grover Underwood, the satyr, and was forced to get off the bus after a few-er—malfunctions,"

_This is strangely familiar. _

"There was a stall of fruits across lanes of traffic and under the heat of the sun; you were a bit surprised why nobody noticed the fruit stand. Then you saw three old ladies knitting some giant sock, as you pointed out, not knowing that those three old ladies were the-"

"Fates. I remember now." I interrupted.

He nodded. "Yes. You saw the Fates summon their yarn and shears, unable to recognize the signs that someone is about to join the souls in the underworld. You heard the sound of death picking up his victim and thought of it as a really loud snipping sound of shears. Then your transportation was fixed and you went on your way."

"Yeah, I remember now. But how does that affect me?" I said.

He raised a hand in dismissal. "Let me finish, son. While you were safe in the confines of the bus, you didn't know that the Fates summoned another piece of a string, shorter than the previous. Then I realized that the string was yours."

At this, I was paling considerably.

"I was worried that they are going to end your life when you were the only one who has the potential to become the hero of the prophecy and I knew they were worried too. They knew that you were going to be a good hero so they were a bit reluctant to cut you string. But the Ancient Laws were not their making so they can't have any control of it. Then something amazing happened."

He was staring at me with a new glint in his eyes. Happiness. "When they tried to cut your string, they can't. Because the electric-blue string that was yours changed into different colors-Almost blinding the Fates with the light coming off of it. It was the first time that has ever happened in history. Then your string turned black with so many stars in it. I began to worry. I thought that I intercepted unconsciously because that was one of my known trademarks. But then the Fates said, and I quote, the time has come, and I realized it wasn't my doing. Rather, it was the ancient magic I was waiting for. And I didn't look at other heroes. I watched you all the time and even tested you indirectly just to prove if you were the one. And you have done so well that I don't need any other proof. You are the one."

_You are the one._

Is it possible to be frozen in your previous state because your mind can't comprehend what you're trying to stick in it? Yes, it can. Because it happened to me.

My mouth was gaping open, my eyes bulged wide like a tuna being squeezed and I was sweating like crazy. Ah, the signs of unnatural shock.

If I continue being like this, I'll grow so many gray hairs I'll look like a boy who grew halfway into an old man.

I don't have to push myself into thinking such a complicated topic of strings and death if I could just accept it. There are still some things I really don't understand but I guess only time can answer that for you. I had a weird image of jumping into Tartarus and asking the jigsaw puzzle pieces that was Kronos if he could explain to me how magical strings work.

I shook my head. "Look, old man, this may not mean anything. After a few years, maybe you'll see other demigods that'll have much more magic in their system than me. I mean, I've never even have the ability to summon a chair from across the room. And this evil ruling thing, it's stupid. Evil always tried to knock good down a few pegs all the time. And trust me; I know what I'm talking about since I've done the same thing on those meanies. Besides, you said you balance good and evil, right? So why can't you balance it again and get done with it?"

Chaos pursed his lips. "Perseus, if I could do exactly just that, I would've called my army and banish them to Tartarus for a very long time and finish it if that was the case. But I couldn't-Because I wasn't the one who was supposed to do that. You are. And the doubt that you have on the 'chosen one' part, well, just have faith in me that I know what I'm talking about when I said you possess the ancient magic that was bestowed upon you."

I pondered it over. On one hand, I really hate to be this guy. He has the power to destroy Earth, literally. Who wouldn't be afraid of that? If I had a say about it, I would just drown myself in the Atlantic Ocean and join my family in peace and solitude in Elysium.

On the other, I can't leave my friends behind. I would be a jerk if I unleashed a huge wave on them and killed them just so they can't face this apocalypse. And the mortals? Well, they didn't do anything for me but they also didn't do anything against me. And there was the very tiny problem that I can't drown.

And I'll always say…_To hell with choices!_

I said slowly. "If I were—um, to accept the job, what would I do about it?"

For the first time, I saw mischief lacing his tone. "Why, you train of course." He said it like it was a universal fact; like how the sky is blue and the grass is green.

"Train? That's it? I've been doing that for as long as I can remember and when I heard your little background story right there, I don't think I'll stand a chance what with campers being my training helpers." I snorted.

Chaos smiled. "Not train with amateur demigods…Train, as in, train with the best demigods and immortals in history."

"The best demigods and immortals I know are kinda busy with their schedule at camp and are desperate for a psychiatrist for one of the immortals creating havoc, I think." Heracles, I cursed.

He shook his head in exasperation. "Not your demigods, my demigods. Meaning: if you, let's say-chose your destiny, I'll bring you to my base and train you with the army and myself, of course."

My eyes widened. "You, as in, you, will train me. But aren't you forbidden to interfere?"

He shook his head. "The gods' Ancient Laws concerning their demigod children doesn't apply to me since I can't have any more children. So you will consider me as your teacher like the centaur Chiron whom you speak highly of."

"Um, okay—this is a big decision. Will you let me think for a few hours and get back to you?"

He hesitated, wringing his hands together. "I'm afraid we're losing enough time as we are having this conversation and a few hours at most would be such a waste."

My heart dropped. It means that my time is coming. And I have to decide fast. I sound like Rachel, and that's a really bad thing because you really don't want to be compared to an Oracle.

"Can you give me two hours at most so I can visit my father and friends?" I didn't mention the word goodbye even if it really seems that way.

Chaos nodded and rummaged in his pockets. He pulled out a very high-tech phone with holograms and stuff that you can only see in sci-fi movies. There was no buttons and the screen was too thin to be touched. I would bet all of my money that it has some solar-powered machine gun in its small antennae.

"Where did you get that?" I gasped.

"A child of Hephaestus made it for me. It was my kind of style and made them apply high technology with all of our things, if you know what I mean." He winked.

"Uh, thanks for the cell phone but no thanks. I really don't think that would be a good idea." It was a tad too casual. Of course, it's a really bad idea. No one in their right mind would urge monsters to hound them left, right and center.

"Ah, but that is one of the perks of this technology: Anti-monster interference."

"Wow." From what I've seen of Chaos's capability, I wouldn't be surprised if he made phones for demigod-use.

"So you mean to say that this phone is mine?"

He nodded. "For the time being, yes. However, I would suggest that this technology stays between us; many of our enemies would use this to our disadvantage.

"Oh. Thanks." I smiled sheepishly and tried to put it in my pocket discreetly, which was stupid since Chaos was staring at me in amusement.

Then his smile disappeared and he stood up.

He walked over to me and grabbed both of my shoulders. "Perseus, listen to me very carefully. As your time is coming closer, events will unfold and you will almost lose hope with all the horrible things that will happen to you. And I know that some of it had happened already," He gave me a knowing look to which I returned with a grimace. "But if you begin to give up, just think of all the lives that you'll be saving. Think of it like it is your only beacon of light in the darkness. Think like the true hero that you are."

He gave me a pat on the shoulder and I felt myself being pulled back out of the darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: It's been a while since I updated...anyway, a new chapter for all my trusty readers!A light one after all the action and drama!**

**Ah, the prophecy says it all! Or as much as you could say from something so vague and annoying. Well, dear readers, tell me what you think about the prophecy and what your assumptions are about Percy's future. My line's open ;)**

CHAPTER TWELVE:

I came back to my body, if that isn't weird enough for you, and blinked the yellow spots out of my eyes.

I was still in the same room, still in the same bed and in the same nightgown. Then I realized that the lights were much brighter than before. I peeked out of the window and saw it was dark and very foggy. The glass that I put down on the bedside table was long gone.

_How long was I out?_

"Percy?" I looked up and saw my dad in the hallway, gaping at me. He looked terrible. His red-rimmed eyes was disturbing and he was swinging from side to side. He wasn't—True to words, in his hand was an empty of bottle of whiskey My jaw dropped. I've never seen my father drinking even a small amount of alcohol before, always preferring fruit juices, double espresso and Coca-Cola—But never strong alcohol.

"Hey dad, how's it going?" I waved a hand.

Then he gasped and ran towards me in full speed. He threw his bottle on the side of the room, smashing it to pieces. He hugged me to him tight and I was trying to keep my breathing normal in vain.

"Percy! Oh my gods, you're alive."

_Alive?_

"What do you mean, dad? I just slept for a couple of hours and woke up here." I sat up, confused. How long did my conversation with Chaos last?

Poseidon stared at me funny. "You've been out for thirty years, Percy."

I choked. "What?" Thirty whole years? And I didn't age one bit?

He nodded sadly. "Yeah; I was, er—pissed at Apollo for cutting off your oxygen supply. You were on comatose for a long time. The other gods said that it would be best for you to just end it but I disagreed. Because I know that you weren't dead—just out of commission. And it seems I'm right, eh?" He grinned.

I nodded, absent-minded. What felt like thirty minutes with Chaos actually lasted for three decades on Earth? But he said that I was not in space exactly-so why is there a really big time-lapse there when he's in Earth? As far as I know, there's a time difference of like a day between America and somewhere south of Australia and not thirty whole years.

Poseidon checked his watch. "There will be a meeting in a few minutes in the throne room. They'll be glad to hear you're alive."

Some of them would. I doubt that the others felt the same. I snorted.

"Dad, can I ask a question?" I said.

"Of course son, what is it?" Poseidon smiled.

"Why am I not old?"

He frowned. "Right now, we don't have an answer. I keep checking on you every day and there was no sign of aging. Maybe it's part of the comatose thing. Never had any of my sons in comatose, so I have no idea."

"Oh."

"Don't worry about it. Just keep in mind that you won't feel old when you're with me." He winked and left the room.

Did it really happen? Like I was out of my body and my soul was talking to the creator of the Universe? Frankly, I wished it didn't. Because then what he said was true. That I was the demigod in a prophecy and I would save the world for the third time, and that he invited me to train with his army somewhere on Earth and that he's expecting an answer with that phone of his after two hours. I felt my side pockets and pulled out the phone. It was the same since I last saw it-Strange and very high-tech. I doubt that Hephaestus made one like this, but I'm sure as heck that he could if he's asked about it.

It only means two things: One is that I haven't dreamed something as weird as talking to the Creator of the Universe about prophecies and strings and second, I knew that whatever I choose, I'll come back with the biggest choice I'll ever make. And I can't escape that prophecy.

It was a good thing that the gods are having a meeting. It's time to spill the beans.

"As our annual discussion on the matter of Camp Half-Blood—"

I froze. Camp? What about camp? I listened harder.

"We will proceed on the matter about Percy Jackson. We are here to decide whether to bestow the power of a god upon him or to let him stay in that state of mind." Zeus boomed.

I was standing in the hallway, peeking through the slit of the doors. Zeus was holding his master bolt in a superior manner and was staring at the gods suspiciously. Before anyone could say something, Apollo raised his hand.

"I would just like to apologize to Lord Poseidon for removing the breathing tubes attached to Percy's nose. I didn't know that he'll slip into a very deep slip by just removing it." Apollo put a pleading face towards my dad.

Hermes stood up from his throne and smiled sheepishly. "And I'm sorry for telling Percy to close his eyes and don't move. I had no idea he'll follow me, literally."

The others looked bored. It must have been the same old message they heard after I went into a really long sleep. Truthfully, Apollo did remove my wires and Hermes told me not to move but I don't have a grudge on them. When Chaos summoned me into his stomach, or wherever that black place was, I thought it was Hades' private workout place.

Poseidon smiled. "I forgive you, Hermes and Apollo. Everything is all right now."

Apollo's face was funny. He was gaping at my father, lips quivering as he attempted to say something other than "Wha-". Hermes almost fell if not for Ares who caught him before he hit the ground. The gods dropped whatever they're doing and hung their mouth open.

_They are so dramatic,_ I rolled my eyes.

"Poseidon? Are you feeling sick?" Hestia waved a hand in front of Poseidon's face.

Poseidon swatted it away and laughed. "I'm fine. And I don't do sickness, you know that."

Demeter gaped. "That's why Hestia thought you aren't feeling well. You aren't supposed to be all jolly when your son is bedridden for three decades."

Poseidon rolled his eyes. "He's fine. He's awake now."

That caused the gods to stand up and yell at Poseidon in unison. "What?"

Poseidon motioned towards the door. "He's actually—"

I walked into the room. The scene was so funny it was unusual to even say that the gods are some kind of a joke. They were making holes on Poseidon by their intense glares that I was surprised he wasn't sent into Tartarus the hard way.

"Here." I said. They all looked at before my vision got blurry as I was knocked on the floor.

"Apollo! Get off—oomph." I managed to push Apollo away when Hermes lunged at me and gave me a massive hug.

"Oh, I'm so sorry man. I didn't say that you should follow what I willingly." Hermes scolded as he released me.

I rubbed my arm. "It wasn't my fault, you know."

Zeus glanced at us. "Apollo, Hermes, get back to your seats. We have a long discussion ahead of us."

They nodded and left me in the middle with fourteen powerful beings in front of me. Oddly, I wasn't that scared of them anymore. Sure, they can still blast me into a puddle but Chaos' presence was much too—er, intimidating than all those fourteen Olympians could ever muster. Well, what can I expect? He is their grandfather, after all, and was the one who created all the 'Gaia-meanies' I fought in the last war.

"Jackson, what do you mean 'it wasn't your fault'?" Ares was cleaning his nails with his Stygian sword. Still the same Ares—always threatening demigods in the worst way possible and still getting away with it. Guess after thirty years, there are still things that stay the same. For instance, the stinking boar of war they call Ares

Nevertheless, I hesitated. I wasn't sure that it was safe to tell the gods of what I learned from the creator of the universe. And I know they'll blow the place when I tell them that another war is happening, the greatest one that we could ever have. Plus, they'll be furious once they know that Chaos was here on Earth and was ruling with them. They won't like that part a bit.

"Er, um—I slipped into coma without knowing what was happening." I lied.

It wasn't entirely a lie since I haven't had any idea that would happen if I closed my eyes. And it wasn't entirely the truth either since I knew exactly what was going on. Thank the gods I picked out something my mom was really good at.

"Oh? Then why did you suddenly wake up after thirty years and you're recalling everything as if it was yesterday?" Athena narrowed her eyes, not convinced.

It's because I was gone for only half an hour. Ugh, Athena's making my lies useless. Damn her for being so smart. It was a good thing Poseidon chose to comment, saving me the trouble of making up another lie.

"When you're in a coma, you'll remember the earlier events of your life as if they happened yesterday, Bird Brain. You know, I'm a bit perplexed as to why you don't know that. And to think you are the goddess of wisdom, architecture and bigheadedness." Poseidon mocked.

"Oooh, you just got owned!" Apollo cheered. The tension was down into a minimum.

Athena's face turned into an ugly shade of red. "Oh, so you're admitting that you happen to know something that I don't, huh? Well, then, I hope you visit Apollo after this so we could celebrate the god of the seas having a nervous breakdown at this very moment for overusing that tiny brain of his with really big words."

Artemis grinned and pumped her arm in the air. "You go girl! Finish him." Poseidon fumed and opened his mouth.

"Are they always like this?" I whispered to Hestia.

"All the time; I'm a bit surprised that they haven't sent each other into Tartarus because of those big mouths of theirs." Hestia rolled her eyes.

The others were staring at the two in delight or exasperation. It was amusing to see my dad bicker with Athena and pummel her with those witty remarks of his. But then I remembered that I only have limited time before the cell phone in my pocket rings, or maybe explode. And their fight would probably take a lifetime before they finish and by then evil is reigning.

"Hold up!" I interrupted, stopping whatever Poseidon was trying to say. "I have to say something. And honestly, I really don't want to see my dad flirting with my girlfriend's mom."

Even though I was pissed at Annabeth, I still love her and we haven't broken up officially so I still count myself in a relationship with her. Call it pathetic and clingy, I don't really have a care.

Aphrodite squealed. "I told you! Poseidon and Athena are flirting, not fighting." The two gods sent murderous glares towards the goddess of love, red in the face.

I rolled my eyes. "Look, thanks for not killing me in my sleep and all, but I only have little time left."

That shut them up. Then Hephaestus grumbled. "Little time left?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm leaving."

"What?" Poseidon roared. "I just got you back!"

I turned to him and offered a small smile. "I have to go, dad."

Poseidon stared at me incredulously. "Where are you going?"

"The Underworld."

Oh gods. That's the wrong thing to say. I readied myself for what sermon Poseidon would give me. I mean, we almost fought when I was feeling pretty suicidal before. Really, I can't blame myself. I wasn't taking other options other than being killed and joining Ariadne and mom in Elysium. I guess time really flies real fast if one moment I was considering getting killed at the hands of my father then a second later, I got a huge burden on my shoulders, a choice that could change the world or maybe even the universe.

Go figure.

"Perseus," I lifted my head so fast my neck was almost snapped out of my neck.

It was Zeus. I'm in trouble. "We may not be fond of each other and I would gladly take that sword and plunge it down that mouth of yours but I really do not want to have a remake of your father's, ah, temper tantrum episode non-stop for thirty years." He finished, glaring hard at Poseidon.

"And, consider your father's 'nervous breakdown'. If you give him more information than his brain could comprehend, he might lose it." Athena smirked. Aphrodite stifled a laugh.

Poseidon ignored the comment. He looked very sad. "Percy, I know that you suffered enough from the wars and now this is hanging on your shoulders—it's incredibly taxing. And I won't let you get over this by yourself. I'm—"

"Dad, thank and all, but I'm completely sober. And I'm going to the Underworld to find the ones who are responsible for the death of my family." Maybe, I added.

To be honest, I really didn't know what to do. I'm ashamed of myself for nearly forgetting my family. After all the prophecy fiasco, it was completely understandable that I'm too preoccupied to think of anything else. I really want to introduce those _empousai_ and those _dracaena_ to Mrs. O'Leary and if he agrees, to Cerberus too. But I can't shake off the feeling that the death of my family is somehow related to what Chaos said. That if I choose to fulfill my part, it'll point out to whoever got the stupid idea to mess with me. It's sort of win-win situation.

Poseidon bit his lip. "I really want you to have the chance to avenge your sister Ariadne,"

"Why you, brat! You named your sister after my wife?" Mr. D roared.

Artemis glared daggers at Dionysus. "Ariadne Jackson is a very nice girl, you old drunk! She may even be worthy to become a huntress."

"Oh, give me a break Artemis! The kid just named his sister after my wife! That requires immediate action. I'll skewer you to death, Perry Johnson!"

Poseidon continued as if Mr. D and Artemis didn't say anything. "-and Sally and Blowfish," It was useless to point out to Poseidon that my stepfather's name is not a fish's name.

"But there's the fact that…"

I waved a hand. "Whatever it is, I can manage. I've been to the Underworld more than necessary." I sent a glare towards Hades who smirked.

Poseidon shook his head. "No, it's not about Hades. I'll kick his sorry butt out of his domain if he tries to do that." Hades' satisfied smirk vanished.

He continued. "No, it's the fact that you'll be doing this without the Oracle since it only concerns you and you can't bother Rachel with her life. And once you're out of Olympus, you are on your own."

This wasn't my first time sneaking out. The first time I've done some huge sneaking-out was when I was thirteen and I sailed through Florida for the Sea of Monsters without the Oracle's consent. It was terrifying, not knowing if you'll come back alive or get lost in the sea. And it's a good thing I was a son of Poseidon since I can navigate through the crooks and nooks of the ocean. But it wasn't easy. Battling monsters left, right and center, I almost got my friends killed. Then Clarisse told me that I was part of the prophecy so technically, it's not counted.

But this is totally different. I have a big prophecy to haunt me but no friends to annoy the heck out of me. The gods can't interfere with my life so they're out of the question. I was alone. Well, except Chaos and the Fates. And it was a good thing so that I can't pull more people in this life of mine.

I smiled reassuringly, though my head was being pounded by the fact that I could get killed seconds after I leave Olympus. "I can handle it, dad. I can't promise that I'll be walking on both legs after this, but the bottom line is I'll probably live."

Poseidon scowled. Then his expression changed into a thoughtful one. He turned to his brothers pleadingly. Then they started to bicker quietly. Zeus and Poseidon were growling at my dad. I only heard a few words such as "safe", "son" and "blessing", which doesn't make sense at all.

"All right." Hades grumbled, apparently not contented with whatever they talked about.

"Percy Jackson, I would like to bestow upon you safe passage upon your arrival into the Underworld and my son Nico will be your guide." Hades said with gritted teeth. I bowed in thanks.

"Thank you, Lord Hades." He nodded. If I ever need to go into the Underworld, Nico will be available. _Sweet_. I took a few steps towards the door when I felt a hand on my arm.

"Percy," Apollo smiled sheepishly. "I really want to apologize for causing you thirty years of deep slumber. Don't worry though; I'll make it up to you." He winked.

"Apollo, there's no—"

"Father," He addressed Zeus. "I would like to bestow my blessing to Percy Jackson, as well. In time of his utmost need, the weapon he is least accomplished with will strike a blow towards his foe and end his losing battle." I groaned. Arrows are the bane of my fighting expertise.

Then I felt a weird breeze enter my nose. It's not suffocating me but it was making my nose itch real bad. I sneezed unattractively. Beside me, Apollo guffawed.

Zeus' face turned red with anger and was about to refuse when Hera shot him a glance. Hera? Supporting me? It was too unreal I almost thought I was dreaming.

"Fine."Zeus grimaced.

"Wait, brother. I would like to give young Percy Jackson my blessing." Hestia added. She stood from her throne and went in front of me in her eight-year old form. It's disconcerting to think that a kid who is two heads smaller than me is much more powerful than someone as big as I am.

"Percy, I'm so proud of you. I know that you know I had felt a glimmer of the pain you felt and I want to say I return the condolence." Her flaming eyes were warm as she smiled. "And I do not wish for you to suffer deaths again in your life. But as much as you prevent it from happening, it is a part of the inevitable cycle of life in this world. Therefore, you'll endure more pain as you mature into a man."

"Hestia—"She raised a hand in dismissal.

"So that provided me a reasonable solution to impart my control over fire and hearth unto you. You will be filled with guidance and hope on every battle you'll face and stand a victor." Her eyes glowed and the fire sparked.

I felt my eyes burn and my body began to heat up a thousand degrees Celsius. Then as soon as it came it vanished, leaving me breathless.

Zeus was angry. "Hestia!"

"Save it, Zeus. You are not the boss of me." Hestia snapped.

His face was beet red. "Meeting is—"

"Wait!" Aphrodite yelled. She stood up from her throne and approached me.

"What NOW?" He growled. I could've sworn smoke was coming out of his nostrils.

Hephaestus and Hades were shaking in laughter. I can't say the same with Apollo, Hermes and Ares. They lost control and was rolling on the floor, hollering.

"I have to give Percy my blessing too." She squealed. That stopped them. Poseidon sucked a sharp breath.

I paled. Aphrodite is worth a hundred monsters if she were to give you some 'advice' on relationships. I remembered my second date with Annabeth and I was so desperate to impress her that I went for drastic measures. Meaning: Aphrodite's pink magic. It went from bad to worse to worst to really, really ginormous-bad. Good thing Annabeth found it funny or else...

"You don't need to—"

"Oh, nonsense! I have to give this to you. It's my responsibility. Plus, your clothes have been trying to kill me for thirty years." She moaned.

I looked down at my hospital gown. Not really my style. But it's not the worst of all wardrobe malfunctions, right?

Wrong.

"Aphrodite—"

"Percy Jackson," Her pearly smile glinted off the light. "I cannot afford to see you looking like that when you go to the Underworld. What would the girls think if they saw you wearing—that? And maybe you'll meet some of my daughters along the way." She winked.

I groaned. This is not happening…

"Therefore, I bestow upon you the gift of immense beauty."

_Ah, hell_. My eyes widened. "What? No—"

Aphrodite snapped her fingers. Then I was engulfed in pink powder and Givenchy. I resisted the urge to gag the horrible smell that was entering my nostrils. After what felt like eternity, the powder slowly vanished but the smell of the perfume clung to me. I made a mental note to take a bath as many as I can because this thing doesn't get off fast. Trust me; I know what I'm talking about since I got on Piper's bad side once.

When I coughed out the powder off my mouth, I was conscious of the open-mouthed stares the gods were giving me.

"What?" I blushed. Aphrodite wordlessly waved a hand in the air and a full-length mirror appeared in front of me. Curious, I stepped forward and almost fell face-first.

My first thought was '_This isn't me'_. Well, it was me but I didn't know I could look this good. My face was a thinner, showing my cheekbones and hard jaws. I lost any signs of zits, pimple and blackheads. My face was soft and smooth. Then I looked down. I was wearing a simple black leather jacket and low-waist jeans. I sucked a breath. I wasn't wearing any shirt. I was half-naked. But I've got to admit-my body looked good. I somehow gained almost ten pounds of raw muscle and my arms and my abdomen were a lot muscular than before. I got taller by a few inches and my uneven tan skin turned into the brownish-gold I was trying to achieve.

After checking what Aphrodite did, the only thing that came into my mind was, "Uh guys, does anyone have an extra shirt?"

Aphrodite snapped from staring at me and shook her head. "What? No! Don't wear any shirt." Then she approached me and whispered in my ear.

"As a matter of fact, try not to wear any piece of clothing ever." She whispered in a sultry voice and rubbed her hand on my chest.

I pulled away fast. "Uh, okay? Um—I don't think that's not going to happen any day."

Aphrodite pouted. "Fine; But don't you dare flirt with my daughters…because you're all mine." She cocked her hips in a seductive manner.

I shuddered. I knew this blessing won't go well. I shot a pleading look to my father who nodded in sympathy.

"Aphrodite, stop seducing my son." Poseidon boomed threateningly. She scowled at him and returned to her seat.

"All right, is that it?" Zeus gritted his teeth. "Well, in that case, meeting is—"

"Hold on." A person said. Zeus's face turned red from anger.

"Oh for Olympus' sake!" Zeus roared. "Just give your blessing to Jackson after I kick you out of my place." He slumped in his seat, looking like a spoiled five-year old brat, and glared at me.

But I wasn't paying attention. I was gaping at the one person I least expected to stop Zeus from dismissing the others. Heck, he never even paid attention to a word anybody says.

"Mr. D?" I whispered in disbelief.

"Don't act surprised. I'm not here to give you a blessing. I'm here to give a message." Dionysus rolled his eyes.

"What message, sir?" I asked warily. Whenever he has the time to talk to me, it means he's going to try to kill me for months. And that means I get to return the favor by being the brat he hates me to be. Ah_, good times_.

He took a deep breath. "If my wish comes true that you'll come back kebab-ed, I just, er, want to, uh, thank you—for all the things you've done to that wretched camp and its brats, for naming your sister from my wife-And for trying to protect, uh, Pollux in the wars. He'll kill me if he knew that I didn't give you his thanks." He grumbled.

Oh my gods, did Dionysus, the god who hated my guts the most, gave me a thank-you message? In his defense though, it was from his son. Pollux died in the huge rally that Gaia and her cronies made in Athens. I really tried to reach him before he got stabbed by an enemy demigod…Mr. D was devastated.

"Um, you're welcome?" I said it more like a question.

Dionysus scoffed and glared at me. "Just because I thanked you, Johnson, it doesn't mean I'm quite fond of you. Now, get your little butt out of here before I send you to your blasted father." He disappeared, leaving the smell of wine before him but I wasn't sure if I really saw a hint of a smile in there.

One by one, the gods left, wishing me good luck or trying to get me in their bed—courtesy of Aphrodite. After escaping Aphrodite's advance, I discreetly hid behind my father who was conversing with Hephaestus. Or as discreet as you could get if you're a bit taller than your dad and you were crouched to the ground with your shoulders hunched together.

"Poseidon, I don't know, really. I—Percy?" Hephaestus raised an eyebrow. I stood up fast. My dad turned towards me and chuckled.

"Hiding from a certain goddess I know?" He smirked. Hephaestus was staring at me in confusion.

"Please," I pleaded. "Don't shout my name. She's been trying to reach my underwear with those sneaky little hands of hers. And she actually managed to pull my jeans down when I wasn't looking."

Hephaestus boomed. "I can't blame her, boy. You look much different now."

I blushed. "That's not the point. And I'll take that as a compliment, cousin."

The god of the sea shook his head. "If you were really desperate to escape Aphrodite, you could have asked me to transport you somewhere she can't reach."

"But then how could I leave that place when I couldn't even find it without your help?" I retorted. Poseidon rolled his eyes and left in a sea-green mist.

Hephaestus glanced at me weird. "Your brain is a mystery to me, boy. Too complicated and cannot be fixed with a tweak of my hammer." He patted my shoulders awkwardly and walked away.

I wasn't sure if that was meant to be a compliment or he's just speaking what his mind tells him to say. You never know with geniuses like him.

"So, that leaves us two alone now, huh?" A familiar voice sang. I stiffened. It was definitely a mistake of not going with Poseidon and Hephaestus when they left. Aphrodite walked towards me and winked.

"Aphrodite, I'm still the same Percy you know—only upgraded. And if I never flirted with you before, I wouldn't do it now." I said slowly.

She raised her eyebrows. "You may be in denial after that Athena girl did, but you'll come to me soon."

I sensed from the tone of her voice that she wasn't kidding—I had this weird image of seeing Aphrodite' face peeking at me from a bathroom mirror. That was disturbing…But not completely impossible.

And at that moment, I vowed that I will never come near to a mirror or Givenchy or anything related to the goddess of beauty since Aphrodite has an uncanny ability to find those she wants to be found with the use of her "beauty products".

"Not happening, Aphrodite." Then I prayed to my dad really hard to give me that escape route he was talking about.

_Dad, if you're listening, and if you have the heart to pity me with my situation, please give me that escape pod you're talking about. I really don't want to be with a hormonal goddess of love now. And I promise that I'll give heaps of food to you as an offering if you answer._

Aphrodite's face turned red as she lunged at me. True to words, a sea-green mist spread around my body and I felt myself being pulled back. Whew, that was too close. I closed my eyes, silently wondering if I could ever manage an escape like this again.


	13. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: What do you know? Dionysus's the same as ever but the most surprising are the gifts! Never thought Apollo and Hestia had the guts to piss Zeus off. But Aphrodite sure has some tricks up her Givenchy-covered sleeves **** Oh, dear Percy! Please hold on! You're about to hear some news! **

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

The smell of salt and cold breeze entered my nose—the sea. Poseidon must have brought me to Montauk Beach. But then the air surrounding that beach was a bit polluted. This one has a cleaner air. I opened my eyes and realized that my dad transported me in Camp Half-Blood.

One hour. _One hour_.

Does time have this annoying tendency to speed up when you really don't want to leave—or to slow down when even if it's killing you?

I brushed off the sand that somehow got stuck to my jeans and walked towards camp. It was the same as before —Messy, disorganized and magical. Great, I sound like those silly Disney Princesses movies. But it was the truth. There was a strange air that was surrounding camp. It must be the Mist—a mythical air that veils the mythological world from the mortal one. Or you could say it's like a big transparent blanket if you're not that interested with it.

There was the amphitheater the Mess Hall and the arena. The Big House was lying on the farthest hill from me and I could have sworn I heard hooves stomping on the wooden floor from here.

_Thank the gods Chiron is here_.

But the cabins were more than the original twelve cabins and the minor gods and goddesses' cabins. Now, there were more than three dozens of cabins dedicated to Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. After the war with the _'Gaia meanies'_, Zeus proclaimed that Camp Jupiter could merge with Camp Half-Blood at any convenient time since their base got infiltrated by giants and monsters. It was a really bad idea at first, what with Romans and Greeks trying to kill each other with anything within reach. And I would know because I got lifted and thrown by a big Roman dude towards an Ares camper. I was bruised after that. And it wasn't the first casualty. The infirmary looked more like a very popular hotspot for all campers. But then we slowly backed down against the Romans and got along well.

I sighed. I didn't give a thought about leaving camp. I went through so much monsters and battles with the Titans that it was weird to think about living a long mortal life. I wonder if Chiron gives retirement applications for older demigods.

But there was some underlying tension—one that I felt when we were at the brink of war. And I had the faintest idea that Heracles is somewhat one of the reasons.

"Halt!" A voice commanded. I turned around and saw two swords pointed at me. I realized with a jolt that it was Connor and Travis Stoll. They looked the same as before—only they have this golden aura surrounding their bodies. They did not lower their weapons but looked at me menacingly. I guess I changed a lot too because of the blessing Aphrodite gave me.

"State your presence." Connor said. I let out a laugh. _Is he serious?_

"State your presence—really? Don't do formalities, Connor. It's unnatural." I smirked.

"I wouldn't answer back—Percy?" Travis gasped while Connor gaped.

"How the friggin' hell—why are you still alive?" Travis whispered.

"Feeling the love here, guys." I snorted.

"Oh my gods, Percy!" Connor shrieked like a girl. Travis hit him on the back of the head.

"Shut up, you idiot! We wouldn't want the_ 'other side'_ to find out now, do we?" Travis hissed. Connor scowled but nodded.

"What 'other side'?"

They did their weird mind conversation before taking both of my arms. Together, they dragged me away from camp and into the forest.

"Okay, guys. What's the big deal?" I crossed my arms and glared. They sheathed their swords but said nothing. After a few minutes of waiting and I was fully ready to blow up, Connor sighed.

"Look, I don't think it's a good idea for you to come back here at camp."

I raised an eyebrow. How could they say that? Camp had been my second home since I got attacked by the Minotaur. It was the reason why I kept fighting those evil goons even thought it was obvious they were going to win. My friends died because of this place. Heck, I know all of them did not sacrifice themselves for the gods but for Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter. And I've done so much and it was only fair that it'll be open for me for some time.

Connor's eyes widened. "No, that's not what I meant! I—"

"What exactly do you mean?" I crossed my arms and tried to look intimidating. _Guess it worked._

Travis looked down at his hands. "Percy, you've been unconscious for thirty years. And you missed a lot of things. Camp is not the same as before. It changed."

"What do you mean _'it changed'_? If it changed, it must be for the better, right?" I asked. Surely, the campers from both camp are doing well...

The twins exchanged a glance before facing me. "No, for the worse." They said simultaneously.

_Worse._

My blood turned cold. Camp changed? For the worse? Sure, camp had some difficulties in grasping the concept of change and not all campers were open with the idea, but we coped up pretty good for a place that stayed the same for who knows how long. And I would bet my sword that Chiron won't allow the camp losing its reputation. After all, Chiron is as smart as he is old so he must know what to do if it did. But why isn't he doing anything about it? Did he get kicked out again? Or worse?

"Heracles." Connor spat.

I clenched my fists. _That explains it._ "How could Chiron allow this to happen?"

Travis shook his head. "Chiron doesn't want this to happen. Ever. But he is powerless. As much as we want to deny it, we are a bit powerful than Chiron since we are the sons and daughters of the gods. What more if you are a very famous hero, a son of the king of the gods and a fully immortal god? Yep, Heracles is the ultimate leader at this camp."

"But if he's destroying camp instead of leading it, why don't you kick him out?" I argued, too pissed to soften my voice.

Connor frowned. "We can't. He made those stupid rules with a lot of loopholes so he can get away clean. And he's not really doing a horrible job, we still get to eat right and do our job as campers...It's just that-well, you're partly the reason."

I stepped back. "Me? What do I have to do anything about him?"

Travis sighed dejectedly. "You were MIA for a long time, Percy. And we can't blame you for not having any idea. But after we received the news that you slipped into a coma, the camp broke down into two. One was supporting Heracles; the other was—on your side."

_Oh gods._

"What?" I said, horrified.

Travis rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Most of Camp Half-Blood' campers and nature spirits were kissing Heracles' stinky feet and some of Camp Jupiter's campers were totally sucked up to the famous Heracles' story. I feel really bad that they could easily forget all the things that you've done for this camp but—"

"We, Greeks, tend to get caught up with the famous and powerful guys." Connor finished, albeit mournful.

Travis snorted. "Yeah, now I wish Heracles was a myth so that I could keep on thinking that he's not real and I could entertain myself with the image that he got eaten by Cerberus or was singing opera in a waist-deep cauldron of toxic waste." His eyes got a malicious glint that I stepped back in caution. Travis can be sadistic when he wants to...And when the time comes that he's imagining these things, you better run away from him.

I shook my head. "Guys, it is fine, okay? As long as you could eat three meals a day and do not suffer from anything remotely dangerous, I'm fine with it."

I was not lying. Even I know how easy you could feel the excitement, being one with the popular. Heracles was a very famous hero; heck, formalities aside, he is THE hero. Looks, strength, power, clearly he has it all. Except attitude. He can't be nice to save his life. But then being famous has its perks. For instance, you could make people bow down to you and do what you will them to do. In my side, I am totally against the idea. But if Heracles could at least maintain a little bit normality in this madness, then there's nothing I could do but let him keep it that way.

Travis smirked. "You could be the tooth fairy godmother for being so nice and all sweet, Percy. Fortunately, I'm not the only one who thinks so."

Connor smiled. "Yeah, most of Camp Jupiter's campers and their citizens and nature spirits still looks up to you as their '_prattie_' or something so they got your back one-hundred percent and of course, your trusty campers that stood behind you in both wars."

"Even though you're sleeping like a rock, they still had your back. How they could make a chant out of that beats me." Travis added.

Connor shrugged. "Yeah, but in demigod language, what goes up must come down takes a whole new level when the Fates are having fun messing around with us. It turned from bad to worse. Everybody didn't seat with their Roman or Greek siblings at breakfast and dinner. Rather, they went into their 'allies' and stayed there. Now, the cabins are empty since we went our separate ways. Heracles' goons are near the Big House and your Number One fans are here in the woods."

"But it wasn't that bad right? Just some kind of feud we had before?" I said warily.

Travis raised his eyebrows. "Not bad? Speak for yourself. It was terrible. Campers maiming each other when they have the chance. My cabin and your Fifth Cahoots,"

"Cohorts." I corrected.

Travis rolled his eyes. "Whatever. So your fifth Cahoots group and our cabin led a prank war for the Perseus-Heracles standoff. And, we can't abandon our brothers and sisters alone, so we acted all happy and excited for them. But, we can't also turn our backs on you for what you've done for camp so we sent out info about the pranks my cabin was planning. In other words, we played double agents and went as their spies. Got double passes on both sides. The honor!" Connor high-fived his brother.

Then Connor grew serious, the smile vanishing. "We thought that was only some kind of joke. But it actually turned into war, as my cabin proclaimed in the Mess Hall. Chiron went crazy and haywire and literally stomped his way towards Heracles. Then Captain _Heraclame_ said, and I quote, '_that the campers were merely 'expressing' themselves and they were not killing each other, just increasing each other's stamina'_ and he practically insulted Chiron for '_not using the intelligence of campers when it comes to war, no matter how low it is._'"

Travis growled. "The nerve of that jerk! I'll give him stamina once I get my hands on my pranking luggage."

Travis looked so menacing and mischievous that it was hard not to believe that he'll do exactly what he is hinting at. I shuddered. He may be all friendly but when he's pissed, you need to run as fast as you can and pray he doesn't find you. But I had to agree with him. Chiron was very nice to everyone that he could be the purple My Little Pony with the torso of Chuck Norris_. _And no one should badmouth the teacher I always knew, even someone like Heracles.

"But it's over now, right?"

Connor laughed darkly. "Over? It's like we're starting all over again! When _'the other side'_, as Reyna pointed out, destroyed your souvenirs from the war and demolished your water fountain in Cabin three,"

"Demolished?" I gasped. "That was a gift from my father!"

Travis sucked a sharp breath and whistled. "So that's why a huge wave attacked the other side. They must have thought you asked someone from Hephaestus cabin to make it for you…Oh well, your side got attacked by lightning, courtesy of Zeus."

Travis said hastily as he saw my incredulous expression. "Nobody died, but many got a bit bruised on the_ 'other side'_. It was a good thing Jason was on your group and stopped it before somebody gets roasted alive. But he was very angry. On the verge of temper tantrum all the time. When we interrogated him, don't ask how, but he admitted that he felt a bit betrayed that his father supports his other son than him."

I sneered. "Who can blame Jason? If Poseidon did that, I would be more than pissed."

Connor nodded. "Heck, yeah. Well, now that we said some updates about camp, what did you came here for?"

"I have to talk to Chiron, guys. It's very important."

Travis hesitated. "Remember what I said about camp being divided? Well, the Big House is at the heart of the 'other side's camp. We can enter fine but you—it would be difficult."

"Difficult?" scoffed Connor. "It would be freaking impossible!"

They're making it sound like it was suicide just to step in Camp. It was very ridiculous, not to mention impossible, to feel threatened in the one place they swore that you were safe in.

"Don't you think this is way too overboard? Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter wouldn't hurt anyone, especially a fellow demigod. It is in every right, _wrong_."

"Dude, I have no idea what you just said. The right and wrong confused me back there...But, I'll say one thing. You'll just have to see all for yourself to believe that both sides aren't afraid to hurt anyone to protect who they put their complete trust on." Travis stared at me intently, trying to make me understand.

But I couldn't. It was just not right. Campers will maim each other not for dessert privileges, but for Heracles? For _me?_

Connor nodded, as if he read my thoughts. "Everything's different now. There is still a chance for everything to turn back to normal, but some wounds run deep."

"What—"

"Every war has casualties, Perce."

_Casualties. _

Travis sighed, a grimace in his lips. "The two camps run with one thing on their mind..."

"Hurt our leader, we'll hurt you."

Connor dropped his head down. "Camp...is not safe anymore."

Camp.

_Not safe._

_Di immortales._


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: PLEASE READ!**

**I realized that a lot of you are horribly confused with the turn of events. I believe that a bit of recalling our history would satiate all your curiosities. If**** you will observe, the war that is happening between Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter is somewhat similar with the Trojan War. Both camps are fighting for who they believe in, which are Percy and Heracles. Athens and Sparta both sprouted in the same nation, Greece. However, both of them are different in all aspects, upon which the Spartans believe in strength and the power of the body whilst the people of Athens believe in the strength and the power of the will and mind, after being named after their patron goddess Athena. We cannot rightly say that the campers of Camp Half-Blood are wrong and immorally confused but their trust happened to fall upon the strength and power of body Heracles possessed. He may be a jerk, but he inherited what we can say a leader's intellect from his father Zeus, no matter how ill-ridden his attitude may be. Strength and battle-reflexes, he must have, Attitude and personality no one can love. Now, In Camp Jupiter, irony runs deep within their situation since Romans believe that nothing can conquer man without the strength and will of mind. However, Percy must have stood strong in their eyes, even though he blatantly said he was never the brightest crayon in the box. His determination and strength to lead his friends made him an ideal preator, together with Jason and Reyna. **

**In the situation with the gods, well, we cannot say they have done nothing to help. In these times when their children need help, they'll always be on the speed dial. But, they have reached into a horrible impasse as well. They also have other children on both sides, and being gods, they cannot risk another revolt against them led by their sons and daughters. The Ancient Laws forbid them to favor their children while the others suffer for it. They must have helped INDIRECTLY but once their help was made known, their children will fight for their favor as well, thus arousing even more loathing against one another and leading another war wherein thousands of souls will sacrifice their life so as to help their side reign as victors and achieve the favor of the gods they desire to covet. **

**"We cannot interfere with our children's lives...", they once said. No matter how unfair it is, I believe I know why it seems to be at best some of the times **

**See the dilemma? Did I answer your question?**

**That was simply-horrifying! Campers hurting each other? What happened to our dear ol' camp? ****Okay, put your swords and spatulas down. Let us meet Percy's NUMBER ONE FANS!**

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

"Jason, you have a visitor." Travis said as he entered the biggest tent with a blue flag.

Connor and I waited outside. I glanced around. It looked like it was a battle station and not a camp for demigod children. But it's not like a battle station that has nuclear weapons scattered all around the place. It was a pranking battle station. There was a huge wooden catapult of blue giant balloons. The campers and a few satyrs were holding unto it as if it would explode if it fell on the ground. It must be it since the Cohorts can be mischievous and all-for-pranking mode when they want to. Many pails filled with some kind of green gooey stuff were placed on ropes that were entwining each other. I could have sworn I saw a giant automaton dragon shooting large fireballs towards some people who were catching it into a huge oval container made of celestial bronze. Many campers were armed with large paintball guns and swords, spears or hunting knives strapped on their waist. I saw Butch, one of the Iris campers, carry a dozen hunting spears in his arms. His muscles rippled, making his _My Little Pony _tattoo flex. He saw me and made a huge production of throwing the spears down and saluting me. Soon, everyone stared at us in awe and disbelief. Connor didn't seem to mind.

"So, what do you think?" Connor grinned.

"It's great. Lots of pranking opportunities." I mused.

"Yeah, it's the same with the 'other side', if not equal. But they are both tied in the battle. The jerk of a leader is all for brawn while your side goes for the brain." Connor gestured with his hands.

"Are the others there? Katie and Will and everyone else?"

He shook his head. "Not exactly. Leo and Piper and some Hephaestus campers are here, as well as Will and the Apollo cabin, the whole Iris cabin and most of the Hecate cabin. The Morpheus cabin is also here with Clovis in the lead, but, you know..."

"Yeah, they're sleeping all day and night."

"But hey, in their defense, no one can stand a chance against a glass of milk and giant cookies. Plus, no one can also stand upright when they are around when Jason attacks."

I cringed.

Connor smiled apologetically. "Sorry, man. I know you're not used to us speaking like we're on war."

_As far as I was concerned, I'd rather not let them speak as if they are on war._

"Anyway, the allies—well, we're all totally on your side, including more of the Ares cabin and Katie and those who fought with you in war, if that is really unbelievable, but they can't talk in their camp. They want to be like Travis and me so they can 'keep your honor' but it was too dangerous. They'll be shunned by their siblings and they really can't lie for their lives. So that's a big no-no. Especially when the new campers from both sides outnumber the old ones three-to-one."

My heart stopped for a while. "Is—is Annabeth here?"

Connor bit his lip. "I'm sorry, Percy. She's kinda on the 'other side'. She's their no. 1 strategist."

I grimaced. "No, it's fine. I'm sorry, too."

_Yeah, real sorry._

Connor put his arm around my shoulder in a man-hug. "Perce, Annabeth made a huge mistake—"

"I know. And I still love her… But that's not what I'm here for." I sighed.

Connor stared at me. "Look Percy, about Annabeth—"But he was cut off when Travis peered out of the tent.

He grinned. "They're waiting for you."

I stood up from the bench and walked in, the other two at my side.

"We are outnumbered by fifty campers more or less around the flank. If they send those feces-explosions against us, we don't stand a chance." Jason stabbed his _Stabilo_ marker on some kind of map, his blonde hair waving in the breeze. He looked like a real commander getting ready in battle. Well, less than the armor and arrogant attitude, of course.

Reyna was standing at his right side, twirling her black hair as she studied the map carefully. Dakota, Hazel and Frank were conversing together, occasionally drinking Red Kool-aid from Dakota whose eyes were bloodshot from drinking. The other leaders were here as well, their heads bowed down at the map on the desk. A blonde guy stood on the other side of Reyna, taking notes. With a jolt, it was Malcolm. Annabeth's brother. They looked preoccupied to notice my presence.

I coughed out loud. "Am I allowed to join the party?"

They looked up and gasped. I could have sworn Dakota fell on the floor.

"Percy?" Hazel breathed.

I raised two fingers to my temple. "The one and only."

Hazel shrieked and tackled me in a hug. "Oh Jupiter, Percy! You're alive."

I hugged her back and pulled away. "Yes, and I've heard that line a thousand times already."

I turned to Jason, who was gaping like a fish. "How's it goin' man?"

Jason composed himself and grinned. "I've got to say, all your quests impressed me, but this? This is something."

I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a magnet for trouble."

Reyna chuckled. "A really big one, don't forget. From what I know about you, I'm not surprised that you manage to wake up after thirty years of coma and still be as sarcastic as you were before. Now, how did you wake up?"

The tension grew as I took a seat across Jason. "I really don't know how I slipped into a coma. After I had the, er, accident," The demigods who were there flinched. "I visited the gods, because…"

"Because?" Malcolm urged. The others leaned forward in anticipation.

I bowed my head down, unable to meet their curious gaze. "I wanted to die."

"Excuse me?" Hazel whispered.

I took a deep breath. I felt my hands shake uncontrollably as I looked at each of them. "I wanted to die because my family was murdered by the servants of Kronos and Gaia."

The air darkened. They all bowed their heads down as they acknowledge the death of my family. That was one of the things I admire with Romans. Even though Greeks also give pride to their people that died, it was different with the Romans. It felt like their commemorating their deaths in a private way. As if honouring a loved one in public was too insincere and a silent mourning was better. And I agreed with them on this one.

_I really hope that what I'm doing is right._

Hazel gave me a sad smile, a tear sliding down her face. "I'm sorry for your loss, Percy. Your mom and stepdad are the kindest persons in the world and Ariadne is one-of-a-kind." Frank nodded in the background. Malcolm grimaced.

Hazel and Frank shadow-travelled in the fireplace for some monthly update and met Ariadne who immediately connected with those two. It happens that both of them were on some kind of break and Hazel's house wasn't available because it was still influenced on Gaia's power so it wasn't a good option. And Frank's house is still being renovated after being burned down by some monsters. So I asked them stay with us. Mom and Paul were ecstatic to have to more kids in the same apartment. Paul did not let go of Hazel when she told him all about her 'curse' and Mom had a soft spot for Frank when he mentioned that he was a legacy of Poseidon. Then one time, Malcolm accidentally dialled our number instead of his girlfriend Lacy from the Aphrodite cabin and called my mom 'baby'. Mom was pleased and invited him for a dinner one time. Let's just say he and Paul connected immediately for their brainiac perspective in all things. Paul even got him a scholarship in NYU when he went there.

I offered a shaky smile. "Anyway, guys, I need your help."

They grew tense. "What help?" Jason asked.

"I need to talk to Chiron."

He hesitated. "Perce—Did Travis and Connor tell you what is really happening here at camp?"

I nodded. How could I forget?

"It'll be hard to penetrate their defenses, what with 24-hours of patrol around the Big House and they have Peleus on their side. Not virtually impossible, but very difficult." Jason summarized.

"I know. But it's very important."

Jason was about to answer when Reyna cut in. "How important?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, it concerns me, the whole world and maybe even the universe." I wasn't telling the whole truth but it's a start.

Frank whistled. "Wow. That bad, huh? And it's about you? Again?"

"Tough luck I have, right?" I rolled my eyes.

Hazel rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't even think about being you, ever."

I let out a small smile and turned to Jason. "Tell me more about the 'other side'."

"Well, we outnumber them by three to one but they use their strength. Combat range. We are more of a melee type because most of us are archers. We have more of Vulcan's kids but we can't tell them to make automatons. They are highly unpredictable and very dangerous. But the Hephaestus' cabin is important for their camp since they aren't holding back one bit."

Wow. This is bad. I never thought I would be in the middle of some conflict between camps I recently made friends with. How in the gods' name did this happen?

I didn't realize I said that out loud but, to my surprise, Malcolm answered. "I guess it was my fault. I heard rumors that you hurt Annabeth behind our backs, aside from the incident in the Throne Room, and I grew mad and encouraged Heracles' hate towards you. He was, let's say, mad and made the other cabins do everything he wants to happen. Then the rest is all history."

I sighed. "Dude, it's not your fault. Heracles is just a jerk who doesn't know the meaning of 'back off'. And if it makes you feel better, I never treated Annabeth—"

"Yeah, I know. I was stupid to believe that. And from your little show in Olympus, it just made me even more suspicious."

The room grew silent. The others were staring back at each other, silently urging the other to speak. But I was lost in my thoughts.

How could Heracles stoop that low? Using other's siblings just to make him the better person? How could that make you better? Heck, he's even worse than those politicians that use his money to make people love him then use the same money to build casinos and all those drug cartels to make his money grow bigger.

_Pathetic._

"Okay," Travis coughed and clapped his hand. "Now, that the awkward moment is gone, what're we going to do now?"

One of the leaders with jet-black hair nodded. He looked slightly familiar but I couldn't point it out. "What do you propose, Mr. Jackson? Are we supposed to do some reconnaissance with our spies or are we to attack with the infantry?"

I was stunned. "You're asking me what to do?"

He nodded and a small smile appeared on his tanned face. "Yes sir."

Jason chuckled. "Close your mouth, Perce. You look like a fish. A half-naked fish, that is." I blushed as he glanced at my naked torso. Reyna and Hazel blushed beet red.

Travis cracked up and gave me a blue shirt. It was a simple shirt and looked nothing out-of-place. But what caught my attention was the logo in front. It was my father's trident surrounded by white light. If I didn't look closer, I wouldn't have seen that the light was moving like ripples of water. I turned the back around and saw two words written in the middle.

_For Perseus. _

It was like a mirage. Greek for a second and then Latin. With a jolt, I realized that everyone in the room was wearing the same shirt with a few accessories of their own.

Hazel must've noticed my thunderstruck expression and laughed. "Like what you see, Perseus?"

I rolled my eyes and put the shirt on. Suddenly, I was surrounded in a white light. For a second I panicked, thinking that my time was up and Chaos is transporting me to gods know where. I closed my eyes and waited for the pale, sparkly red-eyed dude of the Universe to show. As the light waned, I peeked my eyes open and saw them staring at me with amused expressions. I looked down and squeaked. They laughed hard.

"Ah! Oh my gods, you contacted Aphrodite for this?"

This is so not in. I was wearing the traditional one-shouldered Greek _chiton _with gold and sea-green trimmings that matched my eyes. It was so white that it was impossible to ask the nearest dry-cleaner store to make one like this. I could live with the top thing, but not the bottom ones. I was wrapped in some kind of leather skirt that ends on my knees. _A man-skirt_, my eyes widened in disbelief. A leather belt was tied on my waist. It even served as functionally as the old time can with inside pockets on the side. I knew it was holding Riptide, the cell phone Chaos gave me and some things I rather not tell.

Malcolm snorted. "Actually, Piper did. But not to her mom but to Apollo. She thought that you would look great in this."

"Piper did this?" I know the Aphrodite girl is many things, but not a fashion extraordinaire. And this is not the fashion I was talking about.

Reyna shrugged. "Yeah. As a sign that she's supporting us all the way, she tweaked our entire wardrobe a bit with the help of Apollo and Aphrodite."

Hazel smiled. "Apollo did the design thing and must've thought that you need to look like your namesake, the Perseus."

"Heracles was furious," Connor cackled. "I mean, no one can get this amazing with a snap of a finger." He gestured to me.

"Um, Connor? You know that you're a dude and I'm a dude right?" Connor blushed.

"Of course. I just wanted to point out that Aphrodite wouldn't give her utmost blessing to a jerk named Heracles." He defended.

"Well, now the completely unnecessary man skirt is out of the talk—"I said as I sat down.

I looked up on the mantle behind Jason and gulped. I only have half an hour before my time ends and Chaos would contact me. I sucked a sharp breath. I forgot to ask him how it works!

Jason frowned. "Who are you talking about, man?"

Oops. I said it out loud. "Nothing. It's just—my time is running out and I really need to talk to Chiron immediately. Can you make a fifteen-minute diversion so I could sneak in?"

"You're leaving?" Hazel asked.

I nodded.

"Why? You just got here." Reyna shouted.

"The prophecy." Malcolm said as his face contorted in a thoughtful frown.

"Oh." She bit her lip.

I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry I'm leaving. But I have to face this, whether I like it or not." Seeing their curious stares, I hastily replied. "And you'll learn it soon and you'll be really freaked out about it, but as of now, you just have to trust me."

They nodded. Jason grinned and motioned for his seat. "Your turn now, cousin."

My eyes widened. "Oh no. I couldn't take that. It's yours—"

He smiled. "It is yours in the first place." I shook my head and he shrugged and sat down.

"Why are you all doing this for me?" I stared at them in confusion. It would make sense if they would be suckered up by Heracles, but by me…

"Don't you get it?" I jumped and saw Dakota seated in his chair, a Kool-Aid in his hand. He has a very weird intuition of knowing where the conversations stop when he enters. And I'm sure even if he's unconscious; he knew what was happening since he's not surprised with what I'm wearing.

"All of us owe you. Most of us here were saved when the giants break though the barriers of Camp Jupiter. You also saved so many campers that you didn't care for yourself. You can ask some of us why they're on your side and they'll answer that you saved them or you saved someone they loved," He glanced at Reyna. "And we are grateful that you changed our beliefs towards the Greeks and made us work together. Even though you are Greek, you will always be the praetor of our Roman camp." Dakota finished with flourish as he transferred his drink in a Sippy cup.

"That's what you think of me?" I whispered.

Jason smiled. "At first, I felt threatened by you when my people prefer you as praetor than me or Reyna but I know you deserved that position so we made you our honorary praetor. And not only that, but you save my sister, Leo, Piper and my butt hundreds of times so I guess, I owe you hundreds of times too."

"Yeah, Percy. We should be much more thankful for all you've done to Camp Half-Blood. But they got caught up with Heracles' fame and adventures that they forgot about what you've faced since you stepped on camp." Connor nodded.

I felt the urge to tear up but that would make me look like a baby so I settled with a smile. "Thanks guys."

"No prob, cous. By the way, Thalia wants you to know that she will punch you to Tartarus for leaving her to face Heracles, unconscious or not."

I shuddered. "Thanks for the heads-up."

"Look, I really don't want to break the moment but I want to prank now, ok?" Travis raised his arms in surrender. Same old Travis.

"Fine. Jason, you'll plan. I'll go and take a look at their camp and come back to get ready." I said.

He nodded. "Be careful, Percy. Those Athena campers are clever."

I nodded and went out. For the first time, I hoped that no Athena camper would see me...For their sake.

And mine.


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: Happy Holidays, everyone!**

**I do hope you don't meet any Athena campers, Percy...for your sake. And ours. Gods, you're killing us, man!**

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

"So what's the diversion? Are we going to use cool swords and huge bows? Or those sick paintball guns?"

"I dunno. I left before they said anything." I gritted my teeth in annoyance.

My head was throbbing painfully. I remember saying to Jason that I was supposed to check the barriers of Heracles' camp _alone, _but being Jason Grace and a brother to the insufferable Thalia Grace, I never got that wish. Once I was out of the tent, Travis and Reyna followed me with an important instruction from Jason—that I was supposed to be accompanied by a camper. I thought he will choose Travis or Connor or even Dakota but they decided to join with the _cool stuff, _as they pointed out. Meaning: They get to lead the rescue and diversion team while I get to scout the place.

And now I'm with Clovis, the senior camper of the Morpheus cabin. Connor lost some of his sanity—if he even had any in the first place—from laughing too hard when Clovis boldly exclaimed that he got the _'coolest job ever'. _Somehow, I doubted that but I'm too nice to say something.

Clovis shrugged, his sleepy eyes lulling slowly. "Maybe Jason will go full-out since you're here."

"Full-out?" I said.

"Complete battlements, you know. I'm not really into weaponry. They're a complete waste of time, if you ask me. Sleep and cookies are the better defense system." His eyes glazed over.

"Yeah, I agree with you there at some point." I said. "But I don't think Heracles will switch sides with a glass of milk and a plate of chocolate-chip cookies."

Clovis stared at me in disbelief. "Cookies are very influential, you know. Don't underestimate their hypnotizing powers."

It was pointless to argue with someone like Clovis but sometimes his cookie obsession drives everyone on the edge. I opened my mouth to retort when I was saved by a bush. I jumped over and turned around to see no one following. Clovis did not watch his step as he stared at me and fell face-first on the dirt. I reached down to help him up but he let out a very loud snore. He must be the least sleep-deprived kid in camp. Seriously, who would sleep on the ground while he's about to spy on the other camp? And how fast does it take to knock out a Morpheus camper?

I cringed. It still didn't feel right thinking that your camp is now your enemy. The others knew how hard it was to speak and think that Camp Half-Blood is on the other side, especially its campers, but they had to. Both sides got hurt, fatally with some. And both camps were taught how to survive—scarred into their minds, even. But it doesn't mean we have to like it.

I shook his shoulders. "Clovis, wake up." I hissed. He'll be seen if he didn't wake up or stopped snoring.

He shifted and mumbled, "Five more minutes, mom."

_Mom?_

I huffed, supporting his body up. Trust me; you don't want to carry a Morpheus camper. You'll know the moment you lift them where all the cookies and milk had gone."Clovis. Wake up." He did not even move. I was sure he wouldn't wake in the middle of a freak thunderstorm.

I decided to result in drastic ways. I learned this technique from Thalia when she did this to me and I swore to myself never to sleep near her. I took hold of his neck and pinched the back of his ears as hard as I could. As expected, he woke up fast and glared daggers at me. If you disregard the fact his hair is a rat's nest and that some drool trickled down his chin, I'd say he was pretty terrifying.

I raised my arms above my head. "You were sleeping on the ground."

His face turned a blotchy red. "A box of Mrs. Fields Homemade cookies was in front of me!" He said it as if it was a matter of life and death. And I wouldn't be surprised if it were. For him, anything made of flour and a jar of sugar and sweets is worth everything. Try saying otherwise if you haven't seen him save a box of Oreo Double Stuff cookies from a humongous herd of _dracaena._

I rolled my eyes. "I'll give you a box after this—"

There was a rustle behind us. The hairs on the back off my neck tingled. In demigod language, that is a _really _bad sign. I turned around and uncapped Riptide. I really hate those who sneak up on me. I was very much instinctive and my heightened battle senses all the more made my instincts fast and hyperactive. Blame the ADHD.

"Clovis," I whispered, not looking away from the trees. "Hide behind those bushes."

There was a loud _oomph _and some scurrying before everything was silent. Trust everything to be silent when there's danger in the air. The rustling grew louder, the trees swaying from the impact of whomever or whatever was running fast. I saw a wisp of smoke then it disappeared. I braced myself and aimed the blade threateningly.

The rustling grew closer and something popped out off the plants. A creature with snow-white fur and huge eyes…

"A rabbit?" Clovis stood up from the rose bush he was hiding in and snorted. "That's the diversion?"

That may be it, but I was sure that the huge smoke I saw wasn't the doing of the rabbit either. I shrugged. "That may not be an ordinary rabbit. You never know with the Stolls—Come on. Let's leave it to Bugs Bunny if he's the bait."

I dragged his arm and walked outside the woods.

! #$%^&*()

_Wow, they know how to plan alright. _

I was standing outside their barriers, hidden behind the bushes. It was a sight to see. They have the same battlements as Jason has but they have so many weapons inside huge crates. The red tents with a lightning bolt figure on top were organized into lines. Campers wearing red shirts were either roaming around or polishing their weapons. A few bulky dudes were pushing a wagon filled with metal parts around the place. Jason wasn't kidding. Their faces were determined as they entered a huge red tent in front of the Big House—_Heracles'_.

My blood boiled in anger.

A couple of Ares campers were standing in front of the tent, on guard for trouble. I snorted. If he was the greatest hero to ever live, why can't he protect himself?

I shook my head and walked out the bushes. It was safe to say that I learned the art of reconnaissance ever since my mom hid all of her homemade blue chocolate chip cookies in the cupboard when my teenage hormones pushed my stomach to pigging out in the ref. And soon, I became a master of it when I started questing and dealing with oracles and monsters. Add the small, private lessons the Stolls insisted that I should take since they said they saw a huge potential in me to become their junior apprentice or something. Somehow, that wasn't a very appealing thought.

Anyway, I still learned from those twins and a little from their dad Hermes, and I never appreciated it till now. We hid in the shadows and hoped we look like the branches we were mimicking. My imitation must have been good since a camper passed my way without looking frightened or surprised. A few trees away stood Clovis quivering in fear as the camper stopped to pick boulders beside the tree where Clovis stood. The camper picked the last boulder and went his way.

Clovis breathed a sigh. "Now I see how hard it was for Santa Clause to hide in the chimneys for hours till the clock strikes twelve. I became claustrophobic back there!"

I ignored him and followed the camper. My nerves were on alert as I stepped on their barrier. Unfortunately, my trusty sidekick needs to hone his senses better because he almost stepped into a trap.

"Clovis," I whispered. "Back up slowly."

It seems that Heracles' camp knew that placing a sleeping Peleus near the forest strategically helps them in defense. One big puff of fireball from his snout could light up the forest in seconds and if I were right to assume things, they know that there was neither son nor daughter of Poseidon from both sides.

Assuming isn't the best move right now. Especially if I'm here.

Clovis slowly tiptoed back, watching Peleus snort a circle of smoke. Once he reached my side, I literally tied his arm to mine with my shoelaces so he wouldn't get caught. If Heracles' camp wasn't taking any chances since they put a live fire-breathing dragon as their guard in front of flammable woodland, I also wouldn't take any chances of us being captured by them. We just passed the fields and continued to walk cautiously around the barrier, keeping a very wide berth between us and Peleus. He may be a really cool dragon, but you can't call him cool once he unleashes his inborn flamethrower talent.

"Clovis?"

My stomach turned jelly. We stopped, stiffening as hard as a rock. I gave Clovis a worried stare but to my surprise, Clovis smiled and gripped my arm reassuringly before he did the unthinkable. He swiftly untied the string and put it around my neck. My eyes widened in shock. Clovis' face was unreadable as he roughly dragged me behind and faced the one who called him. I moved my head to look at the intruder.

It was Katie Gardner. She was still in her teenage years, maybe eighteen or nineteen, with her honey-blonde hair and green eyes. She was not dressed in her normal gardening clothes—gardening gloves and dirtied shirt and sweats—but in the red shirt all the campers are wearing. But why does she still look young?

Then I saw the golden aura enveloping her form. With a jolt, I realized that she was one of the campers who were granted immortality by Zeus.

"Katie. How nice to see you." Clovis' voice was masked and curt. I didn't realize that Clovis can be quite cool and indifferent—unless you stole his pillow…Like I did, once. Very bad idea, by the way. I felt Clovis loosen his hold on the string around my neck.

Katie quickly looked behind her and faced Clovis with a glare. "Clovis, this is reckless of you. You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you." He snapped.

Katie clenched her fists. "This isn't the time to talk about this. I have roughly about thirty newbies following me and once they see you, all hell will break loose." She glanced at Clovis' blue shirt pointedly. I knew what she meant. Everybody here must have been oriented at some point. Meaning: once you see someone in a blue shirt, knock him out senseless.

"Then let it break loose. I have lots of energy after my naps and those cookies gave me power-ups." He growled.

Katie raised an eyebrow at his hostility. Then her eyes trailed towards me. "Who's there behind you?"

Clovis tugged at the string lightly, signaling me to stand. I stood up and went beside him. Apparently, I misjudged his action because as soon as I stood up, he pulled me in front of him and pushed me back down to my knees. I was sure he was enjoying this too much. I opened my mouth to shout at him but then I closed it. It was a good thing too because—

I heard Katie whisper, "What—?"

"Katie!"

I looked up and realized what Clovis was doing. _That's why_. A group of campers were standing on the outskirts of the fields, staring at us in confusion. A dark-haired boy with a Mohawk and red highlights stood a few feet away, his hand on the hilt of his sword. His blue eyes scrutinized my kneeling form a second longer before glancing back to Katie.

"We've been looking for you." He said.

Katie did not remove her eyes on me. Her face was scrunched up thoughtfully. Then a second later, her eyes widened in disbelief, mouth hanging open in shock. She knew who I was; it wasn't possible if she didn't. I've known her for years; she even helped me in the wars. I was just hoping she won't rat us out.

Katie decided a second later and settled for a nonchalant look but I could see the surprise in her eyes. "Oh, you know, I was dealing with our spy here."

Mohawk-dude looked at Clovis. He nodded approvingly. "You must be good. Heracles and Annabeth are picky with who they send to the other side." He glanced at Clovis' shirt in disgust.

Hearing her name brought back memories, good and bad. But hearing her name with that jerk made my blood boil in anger. I let out a low growl.

I must have caught his attention since he crouched down and stared me down. I met his cold stare with mine and I must have looked terrifying since he flinched and stood back up. But he didn't break away in the stare-down. "And what have you got? A stray camper? I've never seen him before."

Katie hastily stepped in. "He's not a camper from there, Stephen. He's new. A bit older than thirteen, quite inexperienced with a bow, has potential with a sword but still an amateur, but he took judo lessons since he was five."

_Judo lessons? _Sure I find martial arts the bomb, but she has got to be kidding me... Did I really pass for a kid who does Jackie Chan-moves since he's a kid? And an amateur with a sword? I knew it was just a cover-up, but still I felt a bit insulted. As if reading my thoughts, Katie glanced at me apologetically.

Mohawk kid or Stephen nodded. "He has strong arms, must have a strong grip. Impressive, for a newbie—No matter, he can be turned into an excellent swordsman in weeks. Zeus knows we'll need more men who can throw their swords through those annoying Apollo archers."

I clenched my fists. It wouldn't end well if I attacked the kid but it doesn't cover the fact I still want him to be my dog treat for Mrs. O'Leary for saying that. Clovis realized the meaning of his words as his hands were shaking as well.

"Stephen! Katie!" A red-head girl with a huge paintball gun ran at us and panted once she's in front of us.

"Camp, under attack!" She panted before turning and running back towards the fields.

Stephen sheathed his sword and followed the girl. I looked up at Clovis whose face was of utmost relief.

"I never knew I could act. That was unexpected!" He whispered, giddy. I stood up and brushed dirt on the man-skirt I was wearing. Yeah, I was surprised that he can do one hell of an act and I almost believed him at some point but that was not the time because we heard a loud bang in the distance.

"Clovis. Go back to camp. You've done what you can. From here on out, I'm on my own."

"What? But I got you here. I never thought I could sneak in enemy camp, much more with someone like you and be successful with it. Come on; let me have some fun and action now. Plus, you won't survive without my acting skills." He whined.

I shook my head. "Thanks for that, you know. But I have to go now. My time's limited and I have to leave in half an hour. I can't leave you here to go back on your own. Leave before there's a huge diversion going on."

Clovis opened his mouth to argue, and I was sure the topic of cookies and sleep will enter in the argument, but Katie put a hand on his arm. "He's right, Clovis. You're not safe here. We'll be fine." Clovis looked hesitant but he sighed and ran the other way.

After he left, Katie hugged me. "I'm so glad you're back, Percy. We missed you like crazy. Now, you're here to kick Heracles' butt."

She sounded so happy that I felt bad for bursting her bubble. Though I wouldn't mind kicking the jerk's behind any moment of the day. I pulled away. "Yeah, I know. But I don't have much time. I need to talk to Chiron."

She looked sad but I know she knew the perks and flaws of being a demigod. "Must be important—for you to leave so soon again." She muttered under her breath. "Oh, alright. Come, Chiron's pulling his tail in the Big House. You must be careful though. Any topic related to Heracles will get you kicked out in no time, even if you're his favorite student."

"And—I'm not asking about the man-skirt, Percy. They're totally not your style. End of story."

! #$%^&*()

It was still the same house I went to every time I'm offered a quest or we're having an important meeting. The wooden porch looked new, but the pinochle table was still there. I smiled as I remembered the first time I saw my teacher in Latin, Mr. Brunner and the pudgy old man in a tiger print shirt who happens to be the god of wine and utter madness, Dionysus. The door was slightly open and there was clomping heard inside.

I entered and saw Chiron pacing back and forth in the kitchens, holding his bow on one hand, a giant oatmeal cookie in the other. In other circumstances, I would've laughed out loud if I see him staring at a giant cookie seriously, as if the chocolate chips and the white color perplexed him. But this isn't one of those.

"…what is he thinking?" Chiron yelled and banged his head on the mantel.

Then he froze. He turned around slowly, his tail quivering. It was like those horror movies where the stupid person decides to enter the spooky house and senses someone behind him. His face turned from anxiety to shock.

"Percy?"

I smiled. He breathed a sigh of relief and hugged me.

"I've never been so glad to see a young hero brought back to life. The Fates has your wishes in their best."

_In their best?_ Wait till you hear what I came for. "Huh, yeah. Best… Anyway, I came here to talk to you."

Chiron smiled and gestured to a chair in front of him and I sat down. "First things first—How did you wake after three decades of comatose?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea. I just woke up one day and saw my father drunk outside my door."

He raised an eyebrow. "Lord Poseidon, drunk?"

I nodded. "I don't think he knew what he was doing at that point."

"Understandable if you continue to wait for your son to wake from being clinically dead. Alas, you're here. Go on." He gestured.

"Well, I talked to the gods and they gave me free pass to the Underworld."

His eyebrows rose to his scalp. "The Underworld, you say?"

I would be surprised if Chiron isn't when I begin spouting odd wishes about dreaming to go to the Underworld and having _Earl Grey _tea with Hades, the god of moodiness.

"I have to avenge my family." I defended.

He stared at me sympathetically. "An unfortunate incident. Your parents and sister are most wonderful. But I have a feeling this is not what you came here for, am I correct?"

I nodded. "But it concerns me."

_And the whole universe_...But I didn't say that out loud.

After a few seconds, I added, "And a prophecy."

"What prophecy?" His voice grew stern.

I fidgeted uncomfortably. "Well, you know—a prophecy about me. You do know what I'm talking about, right?"

He shook his head. "Percy, I'm not kidding. What prophecy and who issued it? How was it issued? When? Why?" Chiron stared at me intensely. His voice was starting to panic as I bit my lip.

"Whoa, hold your horses!" Really bad move. Chiron hates pony jokes. His face was red.

"Look, don't get mad or freaked out, okay?" I glanced at the clock behind me and whistled. I only have less than half an hour before I get back to Jason's camp and tell them to hold fire. What use would it make other than drift the friendship they made with Heracles' camp if they attack now?

He nodded, slightly feared at what he was about to hear. "To answer your questions, I really don't have a knack for knowing time so I don't know when I heard it. But the other three I'm sure about. First, it concerns me," Again.

"Second, it was issued when I was in a coma."

"In your dreams? Is this the reason why you didn't wake up?" He said, thoughtful.

I nodded slowly. "Must be. But that's not the only reason. Maybe I woke up because I have to fulfill it. And it's a really big one. When? I don't have any clue."

"You are to fulfill another Great prophecy for the third time in a span of a decade, if you deduct the time you are unconscious, all by yourself?" He asked.

"I have to or many people would die." I grimaced.

He frowned. "Is the time nearing?"

I nodded and looked down at my shoes. "He said it is. But he's not entirely specific." It's a good thing, too. I knew my nerves couldn't handle that kind of news.

"He? He's a god?"

I looked up at him apologetically. "I'm sorry Chiron, but I can't tell you who he is. It's vital information that I can't give you. And he works on a need-to-know basis."

He nodded. "I understand. But this person…Did he issue the prophecy?"

"No. But someone gave it to him."

"What does the prophecy say?" He leaned in and took a scrap of paper from his tweed jacket.

I hesitated. "Actually, he was possessed. And he told me, in general, that there is villainy of the rule and some Armageddon." I did not tell Chiron the prophecy because a few years from now the Oracle will issue it herself. And also the fact that the hero of olden time (meaning, me) shall perish in lightning and thunder. _That's not good._

That stunned him. His eyes bulged out of its sockets and his mouth dropped to the wooden floor. It would've been pretty hilarious to see the only man—or centaur—I know who doesn't get easily surprised gets the shock of his life.

"_Armageddon_?" He sputtered.

"Yeah, I had the same reaction, only a LOT louder." I said. Well, if you count loud as appropriate when I began shrieking like Sisyphus when he tries to push his rock up a hill.

"Who was the one who gave him this prophecy?" He whispered.

"Well, he said he was shocked to know what the prophecy said, but one thing I know is that the ones who gave him the prophecy are the Fates themselves. And when I met him, he was possessed by the spirit of the Oracle and the Fates and they told me and used his body or something."

Chiron staggered back. "The Fates served as the Oracles for this?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Big shocker. And what was very irritating is that I was the one destined to fulfill the impending doom of all time."

He gasped. "Of all time? You mean to say that this is bigger than the Great Prophecies?"

"Bigger than all of the prophecies ever made put together. This one is as old as time itself. Even the man who told me all this didn't know and he is very old, to say the least."

_As old as you can get when you created the universe_, I thought.

He stared at me in awe. "Percy, you fulfilled more prophecies than any of the demigods, olden or not."

"I know. It's kind of hard trying to live a normal life as possible when you're about to save the world for the thousandth time." I rolled my eyes, my tone coated with sarcasm.

Chiron smiled a little. "I extend my sympathies. But how are you supposed to do the prophecy?"

"Train." I said.

"Train? That's all you have to do?"

I shook my head. "Not exactly. Maybe to fight evil again, I'm not that sure. He did not specify any more details since I was sick to death by just hearing my future but I knew there are more to this than he let on."

He nodded. "Alright. If you are about to face something bigger than all you've ever faced, it would only be fair if I give you all the knowledge I know."

"Thanks Chiron, but no thanks. He's fetching me in fifteen minutes."

"What?" He yelled. "Why didn't you say so? We must get ready to greet him!"

"No, Chiron. I'm supposed to go by myself." I bit my lip.

He looked ready to argue but he gave up and sighed. "I would be delighted to meet the person whom the Fates gave a prophecy to. It's a rare occurrence for them to have some interference with other's business, even gods. But this must be a special situation. I must tell the gods—"He muttered to himself.

"No!" I yelled. "You can't tell them. They have to know for themselves. But I have to tell you. Can you keep it a secret until I come back again?"

I know, it was stupid of me not to tell my Latin teacher about the prophecy. But after all I've been through; I knew it was not the right time to tell. Time and doomsday are two of the words we, demigods, hate to hear. But it's true. As a demigod, it was better facing problems that have as little connection to end-of-the-world threats as possible. And if I were them, I'd probably sue the Fates for damage of property after the wars that just took place. In other words, the campers won't react too well if they learned the prophecy now. If I reacted that bad, imagine the hundreds of combat-trained children reacting the same way I did…A crazed mind full of threats and vague prophecies isn't a good thing, especially in the middle of camp wars. Trust me.

He scrutinized my expression. "How long will that take?"

I shrugged. "Who knows? What seemed like a half-an-hour talk with the man was three decades here. So, I want you to promise to the River Styx."

"I vow to the River Styx complete silence on the matter of Percy Jackson's prophecy and whereabouts." Thunder rumbled in the distance.

I smiled. "Thanks Chiron for doing this. And I'll come back later."

! #$%^&*()

Did I mention that I really hate anything that has scales and a snout that breathes fire? Anything that has those two descriptions is a full-on red light warning in my head to run away within a ten-mile radius. Meaning: fire-breathing dragons. Okay, let's assume I even hate dragons that fly. I've had really bad experiences with dragons. It was either I get stabbed by the horns, tripped by the tail, burned into a barbeque or even receive the bad end from its Technicolor behind.

In other words, never good memories.

And the thing about experiences is that they have this annoying idea that it would be best if you get to relieve bad experiences to make you look, well, bad.

And that started when the grand finale showed up.

I went out of the Big House, worried. I knew I was risking a very big deal of leaving my friends for who knows how long, and Heracles could attack Jason any moment when they are vulnerable. The thing is, both sons of Zeus are neck-and-neck with their lightning and flying abilities but I have to admit that Heracles is quite leaning on the side of the more powerful. And that is never a good thing because you always have to be equal with your opponent. If Thalia were here though, that would make a big difference. Being Artemis' Lieutenant has some perks…like having thirty feisty, deadly and annoying archers at your disposal. Plus the wolves, falcons and other animals they can pick up on the way.

But I can't just bring people into this mess. Whether I like it or not, I'm a part of this.

I snapped out of my musing as I stopped on top of the hill. It was utter madness—every inch of the grassy fields was field with assorted colors of splattered balloons with paint in it. The hill looked like a messed-up painting of a kindergartner using a tube of ketchup and mustard. Campers were running all over the place, fighting. Many were using the old means of combat: sword, spears, bows and arrows and spatulas but there were some campers launching paintballs at one another using their modified Nerf Blasters. I even saw a few of them using water guns to spray water at their enemies.

A camper ran at me, full-speed ahead. I barely had time to dodge when he passed me. He reeked of rotten eggs and gym shorts and something I really don't want to know. I was shortly reminded of my stepfather, Gabe Ugliano, whose perfume was pretty much as the same guy did. I wondered if they bought the same _eau_ _de toilette_ in a boutique in downtown New York.

"Percy, look out!"

I looked up and saw the biggest water balloon I have ever seen. Red, big and bright. And it was coming down on me.

_Splat._

I gagged, my bile rising up my throat. I reeked like the guy that passed me a while ago, even worse than him or Ugly Gabe. And it wasn't a comforting thought. My immunity towards water acted up so my clothes were dry. But I can't say the same to my smell. The reeking scent of the water stuck up to my clothes and it would take a while to remove everything away.

"The Feces Explosions! We have to reinforce! Campers, retreat to the barracks! Uh—I mean, to the camp! Retreat to camp!" Jason, who was pushing back a particularly huge camper with a machete, commanded. Automatically, everyone near him ran towards the woods, picking up the fallen swords and Nerf guns. The Red Coats, as I came to call them, recovered from their confusion and let out a triumphant yell before following the retreating campers.

Jason caught up with me, pushing a stray blonde hair away from his face. "How's the diversion?"

"Dude, why didn't you tell me about the water balloons?" I said.

He looked sheepish. Yeah, and he had the guts to be sheepish when I just got dumped by poop-and-fart water. "Yeah, sorry about that. Thought you were immune to water so I didn't bother to tell you but I never thought that the smell would—you, know—"

I rolled my eyes. "I probably smell like a gym locker to you."

His mouth quirked up. "Very manly and quite the perfume to the ladies."

"Shut up."

I went down the hill with Jason behind. Compared to the chaos that happened a while ago, it was as silent as a spooky graveyard on a cold November night. I stopped in the clearing they made and did a double take. I originally planned to make a small diversion to quietly get in and get out, unscathed and quite sane. But, I guess, plans will never work with me and I will always be best with spontaneous decisions. I made a mental note to remember that when I come up with a really bad idea.

I ended up in the middle of the firing squad. Well, if you consider Nerf Blasters dangerous as a real firing squad, then you're on the right track. Knowing that these campers weren't ordinary in the slightest, modified water guns is as dangerous as huge missile launcher. Both sides were ready to attack but their surprised and confused stares were on of the campers recognized me and gaped like a fish, eyes bulging.

I raised an arm and waved. "Uh, how's it going?"

Everyone gasped. Was it really that unexpected to say hi to everyone nowadays? I looked around and saw the same horrified looks on their faces.

Jason, who just arrived, gulped. "Percy, your pocket…" He trailed off.

"Whoa!" I yelled.

He was right. My pocket was doing really weird things right now. I was almost bucked off my man-skirt as it jumped in the opposite direction. Then it jumped upward, backward, sideward, around and the force threw me off balance. I was sent flying into a huge tree a hundred meters away. The tree groaned in protest and some profanities were heard but I was too dizzy to notice. I forced my eyes to blink off the stars that painfully appeared in my vision. My eyes widened at what I saw.

The real fun began.


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: Some action would be great! Not really great with action stuff -_- sorry if it lacks some spice.**

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

It was horrible. My pocket began spouting shrill high frequency sounds that pierced my eardrums. Everyone clamped their hands on their ears, some even falling down, to prevent getting hearing problems caused by the banshee screaming.

"We're about to die!"

"The gods are killing us!"

"We're about to visit Hades! I don't want to see his face!"

Grimacing, I stood up and pulled out what was making the noise. It was my phone. It looked, well—the same last I've seen it. There was no scratch or a huge crack in the screen and from the fall, it was a miracle. But the gods-forsaken sound it was emitting wasn't a miracle at all, even though the phone worked after looking for a way to turn the power on.

"Stop," I groaned. The phone continued to release high frequency sounds, even higher now. The screams started. And I have to stop it before we die of acute hearing depression or something. I fiddled with the screen, rubbing it and shaking it, but the sound was too persistent.

"Stop it, Percy! They're gonna blow!" Jason, who just went beside me, roughly grabbed the phone and smashed it on the ground. It wasn't even damaged but the noise went even louder. Jason drew his _gladius _and stabbed the screen. It was like it has some force field protecting it and stopped the spear from making any scratches. Pissed, Jason drew the _gladius _harder and tried to hit the screen. It was weird, really—to watch someone battle for dominance with a cellular phone.

"How do you turn this thing off?" Jason growled. "It'll destroy everything." He looked up and his eyes roamed the place. Anxious, I followed his gaze.

I really wished I didn't.

My eyes cannot process what was happening. Everyone went berserk as the Nerf Blasters pulled the triggers on their own and shot random people and dryads with the modified orange rubber tube. There were screams as the ammo hit their skin and released a pungent smell of sewer water. It wasn't toxic but knowing demigods, it must have had a trick hidden inside. Not only the Blasters but the swords and armor as well; it was shaking so hard that you cannot see the outline of the weapon, only its blurred form.

A few meters away, a blue camper grasped the sword as hard as he could but soon gave in and he went up the hill in a flurry of limbs and metal. At the far side, the catapults were breaking down and almost squashed a panicked satyr; the archers were having a very hard time controlling their bows as the string stretched and aimed the arrow on their own.

It was like the weapons had a mind of their own and they decided to shoot us one by one. Or they were just some possessed children play toy getting crazy mad because of the screaming in my phone or whatever it is.

"Percy! Do something! Make it stop! You'll alert all the monsters within a ten-mile radius!" Jason screamed as he flinched when the noise grew louder.

"I can't! Cha—somebody gave this to me and I don't know how to make it work!"

Then there was a loud roar coming from the woods, making the noise even more unbearable. I put my hands on my ears. My head was thumping hard and I was still dizzy from the fall. I knew I must have hallucinating at that point but I couldn't have imagined that roar to come out of nothing.

"Stop!" I yelled. At that moment, I swore I'd pick a thousand wailing baby abominations over this sound.

Silence.

It seemed to do the trick. Everyone stopped screaming, jumping or running around in circles. All was still, waiting. The weird thing was that the phone stopped giving off any sound. It was silent. As soon as it wreaked havoc, it was gone. We were quiet and cautious, waiting for the next sound we'll hear. And trust me; the suspense can drive a demigod insane in seconds.

Then we felt it.

The ground was shaking, toppling everyone on their knees. There were no shrill static sounds—only the deep rumble of the hills. It was coming from the woods. The trees shook with the force and then it parted to show Leo, the son of Hephaestus, panting and wildly shaking his head. He looked a terrible mess, with his hair covered in black goo and sticking up in random places. The front part of his now-scorched black shirt and his greasy pants were hanging in tatters—typical of the weird and slightly over-hyperactive son of Hephaestus.

You see, Leo Valdez is a huge exception when it comes to panicking. While most demigods run for their lives while cussing the gods who unleashed the fates' ill luck upon them, Leo just holds on to his tool belt and grins like a psycho then he does some karate pose and motions for the monsters to approach him like some kung fu master. Annoying on most parts but it has its perks for distractions.

But what stopped me was his expression. It was anxious and alert, even scared. He stopped before me, panting heavily. Jason, who snapped out of his shock, dragged the both of us and stopped behind a huge catapult.

"I didn't mean to, Jason." He panted. "Everything went killer-mode and almost blew up the stuff…Oh, hey Perce—nice to see you not picked up by our uncle Hades yet!" Typical greeting of demigods, don't worry.

"What happened, man?" Jason interrupted.

"The automatons," Leo grimaced, wiping oil away from his forehead. "I don't know what happened. One second I was pouring motor oil on Festus and the next second he went running away from me. I tried to stop him but he went haywire and set the deeper part of the woods on fire."

I froze scared wits out of my mind. Oh gods. So that was the smoke I've seen a while ago. But it didn't really make me feel any better. "What?" I said. The dryads are really pissed, if I put it lightly.

Seeing my expression, he nodded angrily. "Yeah, I got slapped by many dryads, man. Bad image for the ladies, I know."

"Leo, you've got ten seconds to start explaining. What happened?" Jason gritted his teeth.

It was a good thing Leo stopped. Jason was about to go crazy on us. "Sorry, man. Okay, we got the problem with fire under control. But I can't say the same with the other problems. The Festus problem is fine; we got him down the creek and he's in camp drinking motor oil, perfectly sober, mind you... But—the automatons were mysteriously activated—really, no sign of who or what did it, _nada_—and they went haywire but we held them back by the small pack of extra-hot jalapeño sauce I put in their system, almost killed me by the way, but—" He trailed off.

"What?" Jason all but shrieked.

The forests parted and they stormed in. _Automatons—_twenty-foot tall machine of scrap metal and nuts and bolts. I can handle politician automatons and forty-foot tall Hermes-statue automaton flying off the tail of giant flying pigs. But the worst part is that, they were all dragon automatons. Hundreds of tons of celestial bronze metal and razor-sharp blades for incisors with the brain of computers and they can to store so much fire in their metal bellies that it can light up the forest in seconds—

In other words, five huge, fire-breathing microwave machines. And they're all staring at us as if we're motor oil smoothies. The campers must have decided to make a temporary truce because they surrounded the automatons and began bashing them with their swords and spatulas. The automatons got angry and blew trails of fire that surrounded the campers.

_Uh-oh._

Geez, couldn't this day get any worse?

I turned to him in shock. Leo scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh, yeah—Ha-ha—I kinda forgot I devised an immunity system against spicy-induced oil intake. So, uh, yeah, instead of shutting down—"

My eyes widened in disbelief. "They grew twice as dangerous." Leo only nodded morosely.

Jason turned to Leo, eyes popping out. "Dragon automatons—and the really big ones? And you didn't bother to tell me you built five of them? Five?"

Leo raised his hands in defense. "I grew sick of building hundreds of catapults, man. It was mind-numbing. So I found some scrap metal in that ant hill where they found Festus and _voilà_! Free scrap metals for me!"

"So you built five dragon automatons for some pastime? I'd understand if one will do, but five? Dude, I gotta teach you how to take a nap instead." I said.

"Who needs sleep when you have so many things to tweak and fix? Plus, Aunt Tia Callida's face still haunts me in my sleep. And soon, we'll need to come up with a really good diversion. And this is a really awesome diversion, if I may say so myself." Leo waved a hand towards the automatons, who were brandishing their rotating teeth at the surrounding campers.

I wonder how I would feel if I could rotate my teeth. I shivered.

"You'll get us in serious trouble, man. The gods will be furious once they hear this." Jason warned.

"And risk getting maimed by Heracles' goons? No thanks. Besides, they have used automatons since this crazy war started, so why not play fire with fire?" He had a point but it was still wrong to unleash these crazy haywire toys against your siblings and cousins.

Jason shook his head slowly. "I may agree with you at some point there but we can't risk our siblings on the other side. You have a sister or brother there, Leo. How would you feel if you sent him in the infirmary because of your automatons?"

He sighed grudgingly. "Fine. We'll talk about this later, man. Don't go Mother Hen mode on me."

Jason ignored his comment and turned to me, blue eyes serious. "Percy, you lost your fifteen-minute diversion. You have seven minutes left to do whatever you have to do and get out in one piece so you can go to gods-know-where-you have to go. I can't promise a safe exit, but an exit nonetheless."

_It really doesn't sound impossible, does it? _I thought sarcastically. "Thanks, man. You sure you can handle these bad boys?"

He waved a hand and smirked, but his eyes betrayed everything. "We'll be fine, a bit scorched and burned later, but we'll manage. Leo will guide you on the way out. No more surprises, Valdez or I'll skewer you to death."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "I'd prefer shish-kebabed than skewered. Adds more flavor. Sheesh—just kidding! Lighten up, old beard." He pulled me away fast after Jason threw a stone at his feet.

We ran as fast as we could and tried to avoid war-crazed campers and barbecued dryads. I looked back and saw Jason leading campers, both red and blue, in a phalanx formation and stabbed the chinks in the armor of the automatons. _They'll be fine, _I assured myself.

I hope.

"So, Perce, exactly how do we get out of here?"

I looked at him in disbelief. "Seriously? You're asking me that question?"

Leo rolled his eyes. "Hey, you're better at making fast decisions than me, even if it's a bad plan."

"I'll take that as a good thing, man. Anyway, I really don't have a back-up plan—but I really think that you should just join Jason with the automaton problem and leave me to figure a way out."

Leo accompanying me on the way out isn't a really good idea since meeting with Chaos is supposed to be a secret and I have less than an hour before he shows up—also added the fact that Leo gets chills when he sees people with red eyes and black clothes. Knowing him, he'll scream down the hill and claim the "plant-eating zombies" had a "funky time" with Hades.

"You know what? I take back what I said. You suck worse than me. It's a good thing the handsome and nauseatingly talented Leo has a _much _better plan."

I frowned uncertainly. "Why do I get the feeling I won't like this one bit?"

He grinned. "You won't. That's what makes it better."

! #$%^&*()

Leo frowned. "This ruins the plan, whatsoever."

He was right. After the campers recovered from the shock of seeing five giant dragon automatons, they formed a barricade of catapults, crossbows and other huge objects surrounding the outskirts of the forest. It would be nearly impossible to pass them since they packed it tight and we really can't push our way through without destroying the forest, a fact I may add is where Jason's camp resides in. To add the fun, Peleus stood on its hind legs, glaring at us. The blue campers were nowhere to found, but hearing metal clashing in the distance, they seem a bit busy.

Simply speaking, we're doomed.

"What exactly was the plan?" I whispered to Leo.

"Make one heck of a distraction and make you run fast."

"You are joking, aren't you?—that was your awesome plan?"

"Hey, at least we got to get some action." Leo defended.

I rolled my eyes. Leo was, simply, crazy. "Then we'll just have to wing it. Or die trying."

He smirked. "Inspiring words, commander—though what are you supposing that we will 'wing'?"

I shrugged. Leo shook his head and looked around the hill. Probably for a Nerf Blaster or a fallen sword—but that was my wishful thinking. Knowing Leo Valdez, he'll go for the bigger, dramatic weapon than the "standard" one. Suddenly, Leo grasped my arm tightly, a full-blown grin on his face.

_This is not good—really not good._

"I think I found the best distraction ever." Leo dramatically whispered.

I followed his line of sight and shivered. _I was so right. _Leo would not go for the abandoned cart of swords and spears on the far side of the edge of the forest. He was all for theatrics—for instance, the giant automaton barreling towards us from the left side of the hill. He stopped and stared at lack of reaction. His ruby eyes flickered to the frightened campers then to the cautious Peleus…and then to us. His eyes brightened like a traffic light as he stared at—

_Di immortales._

"Automatons? Are you out of your mind?" I yelled as the ground rumbled. The automaton took off and ran towards Leo like an excited puppy.

Leo ignored me and raised his arms wide. "Festus, my man! Come to Papa!" The dragon roared and ran faster. Then he stopped in front of Leo and sat on his hunches.

_Festus?_ I stared back at the automaton dragon and realized it was the same automaton perched on top of the Argo II we used in the battle with Gaia in Greece. He wasn't the mast I remembered—right now, he looked, well, _fuller _and_ complete._ Hopefully it goes for all aspects, such as thinking capacity. But I wasn't entirely reassured with the dragon nor Leo's mental stability—never was—because no one in their right mind would open their arms and greet a hundred-ton of metal smashing machine.

But then again, we are talking of Leo Valdez, here, there is no such thing as stability on whatsoever. He may be fine with it but I'm not. I really wasn't joking when I said I detest anything made of nuts, bolts and Hephaestus-inspired jumper cables. Since I was fourteen, mind you.

I mean can you really blame me? I never had any good memories with dragons, reptiles and nasty automatons and seeing one in a ship where I stayed and sleep while we fly to Greece for days pushed me on the edge.

"Get away from him!"

Leo frowned, wiping his brows. "Seriously Percy, he won't hurt me. And how could you not remember Festus? Anyway, Festus is part of the plan—A really big part of the plan."

I have to admit; even Leo's tone is scaring me. "Uh, Leo? What exactly is your plan?"

Leo ignored me and proceeded to whisper on the dragon's ear. It took a few seconds before the dragon gave a loud roar and ran towards the opposite direction…the Redcoats and Peleus.

Leo turned to me, eyes bright with excitement. "How would like to play Catch the Greek?"

Seeing my expression, he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Bad memories, horrible-reptile-flamethrower phobia, yada whatever—"

Then he went back to the dragon that was retreating. "Attack mode, Festus—no fire, only huge claws to scare them… No! Don't turn them into dragon barbecue!" The dragon only snorted in response. I do hope it was a yes.

"Can he understand you?"

Leo scoffed as if I insulted his grandmother. "Of course he can. I fixed him, didn't I?"

I just stared at him. He waved a hand. "Alright, he's a bit rusty and can go haywire anytime, but, ya know, everyone has their moments."

A loud roar pierced the air as Festus ran to the other side of the field, metal tail swishing back and forth—Leo's eyes widened in horror.

"Festus! Don't attack the kid! Just scare the tiny red figurines!" Leo hollered.

_What the—"_Leo, are you on drugs?"

"Do I look like do _meth_ to you?" He looked down at his soot-covered jumpsuit. "You know what, don't answer that. Let's get you out of here. I passed Chiron and he told me you just had your heart-to-heart talk."

"Yeah. Thanks. So how are we supposed to leave?" I said.

"The forests." He said it as if I was dumb and dragged me towards camp. Then he stopped in his tracks.

"But, I think that would be a bit of a problem." He trailed off.

"Reinforcements!" My eyes widened. It was a problem. A few reinforcements would not bother us and we can defeat them easily. But if you're talking of bringing a battalion with three giant automatons of Zeus, Hera and Ares flanking them—then we're referring to the same problem anymore. The angry faces of the campers weren't terrifying in the least. What made us step back are the automatons, three angry-looking golden statues glaring at me. _Seriously— Can't I not pass in peace without meeting automatons?_

"Hmm." Leo mused, rubbing his chin.

"What 'hmm'?" I whispered frantically. "We need a plan, now."

"Sheesh let the genius think, will you? Okay, let's see—aha! I got the perfect idea." He exclaimed.

"Are you planning to tell me?" I said.

He shook his head. "Not really. I was planning to tell it to my trusty tool belt, but as of the moment, it went to its monthly checkup with Doctor—"

"Leo!"

"Okay—I have an idea but I don't think you'll like it." His tone scared me.

"What is it?" I asked, hesitant.

Instead of answering, he turned around as he shouted "Festus, retreat!"

Immediately, the said dragon stopped chasing off the campers and galloped towards us. The ground was shaking so hard some of the boulders started roll off down the hill like a huge bowling ball and towards the human barricade. Festus stopped in front of us, blocking the sun with its huge torso.

Leo was sporting a huge grin on his face. "Festus, how do you feel with being a speedy Pegasus?"

My eyes popped out of its sockets. "You don't mean—?"

He bobbed his head. "Yup. Definitely what you're thinking is what I'm about to do. Genius, eh?"

"No!" I hissed. "You can't just tell a dragon automaton to pick off campers and throw them into the sea."

"Wow, it's not a bad idea, Perce, but who said anything about throwing them? Honestly, you call yourself a son of Poseidon, a hero of Olympus… Duh, we're throwing you, of course." He grinned.

I glared at him and I tucked my hand in my pocket, closing Riptide in my palms. Leo, who saw the threat behind, hurriedly whistled. I braced myself for the ground shaking. Festus immediately pushed his hinds up, opened his wings, and flew up high. The campers looked on, confused and wary.

Too bad it didn't last.

The campers saw us huddled together and found it suspicious. Stephen, the dude with the red Mohawk, shouted, "Attack!"

It was the wake-up call. They snapped out of their daydreaming and scrambled up to brandish their weapons. It was funny at first; they looked like they were fish-slapped in the face. But, that was a second ago. The second after—well, no one really wants being chased by fifty campers armed with swords and kitchen utensils plus three, giant, angry-looking Olympian-automatons as a bonus.

A really rational idea: Run for your life.

"No way—No way in Hades would I follow this plan!" I huffed as we ran all the way up the hill. First mistake ever—No wonder there isn't any sane battle commander that positions his men down a hill where the only retreat escape is to run up it again. My legs were protesting too much that they could have yelled curses if they could. I looked up and saw Festus flying above us, obviously flustered.

Leo took a sideways glance at me, exasperated. "Just ride with the flow, okay? Or dragon, in this case…"

_Ride with the flow? _That kid is much more insane than I initially thought. So, when we reached the peak and started to sprint down, Leo told me the plan he oh-so-thought was better than mine. And honestly, it was an insane, highly dangerous, stuntman-worthy plan. And I plan to stay on the ground, safe and not electrocuted by Zeus.

Well, not that it hasn't been done before, by the man before me—but being a son of the Sea god; you tend to have more self-preservation when it comes to anything that involves being air-borne. I looked back. They were gaining on us, a few more seconds and they will be in front of us. _We have to move faster_, I thought. Leo nodded grimly and pulled out a copper whistle tied around his neck. It did not make any sound but he looked quite contented.

Festus reacted differently. His head rose higher and he released an ear-splitting roar. The campers must have thought it was another diversion so they ran faster.

"It's not working!" I don't know how long I've run, but the numbness settling is not a good sign.

"Don't worry; they're our back-up!"

As soon as Leo said it, a huge shadow loomed on us. It was dark for a moment then it was gone. I looked up and gaped. It was a herd of automatons—herd, flock, party, I have no idea—but it was terrifying because they are not one, two, or even the five I've seen. They were a dozen, different automatons ranging from scary twenty foot-long dragon automatons to hot pink flying pig automatons. They flew in a V-formation; metal bodies glinted in the afternoon sunlight. Strangely though, the only ones affected were the campers behind us.

It was like they did it on purpose.

And I was right. After they temporarily blinded the campers, they flew down and formed a barricade, fat metal legs crossed against each other, angry faces with rings of smoke from their nostrils.

"Automatons. Defense mode. Block the tiny red figurines!" They spared us a glance before letting out a roar, or snort for the pig, before facing the campers.

The campers stopped, wary of the number of automatons stopping them. But that won't stop them for long, because the face of the Mohawk dude is terrifying and ridiculously determined.

We slowly backed away with Festus hovering above us. "Automatons taught with strategy. Thank the gods _papa_ gave the right copy—Okay, Percy, are you ready to ride your hotshot steed?"

Seeing my red-from-sprinting, disbelieving face, he shook his head. "Come on! Honestly—you call yourself a son of Poseidon, a hero of Olympus. You fought terrifying monsters before and now you can't face riding a dragon, who I might add, knows you after you went with the Argo II to Greece."

"Exactly why I want to stay _on _the ground and not _above _it—son of Poseidon, here? Plus, Festus wouldn't know me—I never went near his head, which I might add, is not connected to his body, so you wouldn't know how he'll react." _And I really hate fire-breathing monsters, just so you know._

"Stop being so whiny—never thought you could actually beat Jason at that. Now, come on, you've still got four minutes."

"You sure are very optimistic." _Four minutes. _How was I supposed to pull this off in such a short amount of time?

"Never wasted time on moodiness and Goth-quotes—too drag."

He was right—not about Goth-quotes but the time. Time seems to slow down since I went out of the Big House…Since I left Chiron, I had the funny feeling that something is going to happen, good or not—Intuition, as everyone say.

"Uh, Percy," Leo started nervously. "You better do something fast. They're coming."

_This is not my day, _I groaned. We may have a dozen automatons of barnyard animals, but they have three power-upgraded automatons, one of which is Ares who looks very war freak now. It took me a second to fight off the reasonable instinct to run away from the huge automaton a few feet above me. I wasn't kidding when I said I hate automatons. I swore not to get near them but I guess I was also the one broke it since I'm literally under it.

"Fine." I nodded.

"Okay, Festus," Leo addressed the automaton above. "This is Percy—a friend and a hero—No Festus! He is not a cookie Oreo! Jeez, I need to teach this guy the right vocabulary—"

Festus opened his razor teeth into a toothy smile. He let out a roar, whether because he's hungry or because he understood, I would never know.

Leo nodded approvingly. "Yes, he is a friend of mine and a son of Poseidon. He needs to fly off to—?"

"The beach." I'm at the answer. I never thought of where I was supposed to go but I felt it was right.

"He needs to go to the beach, _rapido. _Uh— I mean fast, very fast." The dragon only spouted oil from his snout.

"What—?"

Leo did not waste any time. As soon as the dragon landed and lowered his torso, he literally pushed me on top and spanked its metal hind. Immediately, the dragon pushed its body up and opened its wings. The creaking sound it was making was making me edgy, plus not feeling the ground isn't helping at all.

"Go, glide with the wind!" Leo made a dramatic gesture of sweeping up his arms before running towards the forest.

My knees were trembling as I said, "I'll drown you in your sleep, Leo!"

He let out a howl of laughter and was gone.

After the inspiring speech from _hunk-o_ Leo, as I know he would adamantly refused to take the name _lame-o_ Leo, I was flying on Festus the Happy automaton towards the beach. It was a strange feeling—flying on the back of a dragon automaton. You could feel the metal jamming and moving against each other. There was also a whirring sound inside and the clink of the nuts and bolts. The dragon was amazing—for a son of Hephaestus, of course.

Then there's me—holding onto its neck for their life, shrieking at times when the automaton suddenly goes down or up. I could touch that tips of the pine trees, if I reached for it. The sky was blue and there were clouds scattered around.

It looked peaceful and solemn, but, really, do you think I could be easily fooled with the cuteness of cotton candies in the sky? Unfortunately, I've seen Dionysus wrapped in a baby blue loincloth with matching bonnet eating _Cerelac_ the baby food...

It's a very messy spell from Hecate backfired and I was unlucky to witness all that and Zeus can look like a five-year old without trying, so there's no fooling me.

But that won't stop me from trembling in fear, afraid of what bird Zeus will turn me into once he catches me. Not to mention what Hephaestus will say once he knew I rode his once favorite automaton.

How manly.

_How you holding up, boss?_

"Blackjack!" The black Pegasus stood out in the sky, with its shiny black mane and thirty feet wingspan. It was relief to see someone near me—or as near as you could get beside Festus the Happy Dragon.

_Nice ride, boss. But I'm prettier._

"Can't say I agree to that, Blackjack." I said.

He snorted. _Yeah, well, if you're just jealous, ya should have told me, boss._

"Uh, I'll keep that in mind." Our conversation isn't making sense, but it keeps my mind from panicking.

_Good idea, boss. Ya know, you can ditch your ride and just fly with your sexy pegasus, boss._

"Good idea." I hastily agreed. But my next problem came next. How was I supposed to return the automaton to Leo? Then I remembered something from the Second War. Automatons can to understand you to an extent, just not the really hard words. And from what Leo said about Festus, he is one of the few automatons who is smarter than me.

I resisted the urge to hurl as I leaned over and tried to face the dragon. And let me tell you, it's hard. His snout is too long for a nose and his eyes are small for his face. "Uh, Festus. Retreat." Its ruby eyes brightened into an alarming red. _Oh no._I might have said the wrong thing because he jerked backwards and flew away with a cry. The worst part: He might have forgotten he had someone on his back.

"Ah!" I yelled. I was falling fast into the sharp tips of the pines and they looked too sharpened for my taste.

_Holy sugar cubes! I got ya, boss._A blur of black came swooping down. I felt the pine trees brush my snickers.

"Thanks, Blackjack." I might have said it higher than my normal voice.

_So how're ya alive, boss? Ya drank some kicking root-beer and you grew as young as a donkey? You have some for me, don't ya?_

After thirty years, he still hasn't gotten over root-beer. It was an accident really; I left a case of root-beer for the Party Ponies' arrival in the stables for half an hour. And when I returned with the overly excited Party Ponies, well, let's just say it's not pretty.

That was the first time we had horse droppings literally scattered all over camp. It was like they're having an argument on whose droppings are bigger or smellier. I had an immunity since the pegasi can't disrespect me and the Party Ponies actually like me, so they say, but for the others—Camp's not in a really good mood.

_Ya should have, boss, you like me and I'm your noble, hotshot pegasus so—oh look, boss, it's your girlfriend! Frankly, I would've chosen a hot female pegasus, with their long tail and feminine couture, shiny body, no offense boss, but—_

I wasn't listening to Blackjack's ranting. I knew the Fates hated me, but this is really going on a new level. I was crossing my fingers, but they're three and I'm only one. I'm not the kind of person who avoids something because he's scared, but—I really wished this won't happen sooner and I get to Chaos without something weighing on my mind. But I had a feeling that Chaos would have to wait a bit longer if I have to face this.

"Annabeth." I whispered.


	17. Chapter 17

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N: I hate that you'll have to face her, Percy. But, maybe—Annabeth deserves to see you. After all, she was/is/has been (I don't know…) your best friend. Don't forget to give me some love!**

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

This is nerve-wracking. And the nerves in my body are always intact, just so you know.

Blackjack was sympathizing with me. _I know how it feels, boss. Long story I have but I think ya don't need some reminding._

"Thank you, Blackjack." I patted his neck and he neighed in response. He was right. I didn't need him to tell me that I have to face her here.

Blackjack landed on the eastern part of beach, hooves sinking into the sand dunes. Right then and there, I wished for the sand dunes to just swallow me whole—or the waves that were reacting to my emotions. Either would be fine, but I don't think the sea would like to digest me…too hyper for them.

_Ya know what I think, boss? You gotta face her soon. Y'all think about it too much—not well for stomach if ya don't._

Do I really have to? I mean, she made certain that she's happy now, and from what Athena said before I slipped into a coma, that I was hurting her—it was a half-truth, sort of. I'm not a fan of physical violence and stuff but maybe, I _did _hurt her emotionally. I mean, if it was the other way around…

After all, she was an emotional wreck, or so I heard, when Hera kidnapped me and placed in Camp Jupiter. First I was pissed at the Queen of the gods, but then I realized she's smarter and crazier than she looks. So I accepted the Romans like I'm one of them. But Annabeth never left my mind, she was there always. But she didn't know that for almost a year.

I must have hurt her more than I could think. And the least I could do is say sorry about it.

"Do you think so?" I know, talking to a horse must be weird for you, but he's the only one there and maybe the only friend who would see the turnout of events.

He neighed and bobbed his head. I rummaged through my pocket and got a bashed-up sugar cube. He picked it up with his teeth and munched on it, oblivious to everything around him.

I walked away, apprehensive. It's a good thing I watched where I was going, doing it in slow motion even.

Because if I didn't watch where I was going, I would've stepped in a very obvious trap. A gray tent stood on guard in the middle of the surrounding sand dunes. Those who have some sense of self-preservation in them would run once they see blonde, gray-eyed kids staring you down. But I happen to know who these kids are. They're my girlfriend's sibling after all.

Moving closer, I saw a few blonde kids standing around a table with a map placed on it. They were talking to themselves all at once.

"Aidan, we do not have the complete map of their fortress—"A blonde girl with blue highlights snapped.

"Whatever the case, we attack by sundown." The dude whose name is Aidan hit his fist on the table.

"Listen, Aidan—you're about to make a mistake. Only Malcolm has both of the maps and has the exact information of our whole camp—the traitor." A guy with neon yellow highlights hissed. The girl and this guy are twins, by their looks alone.

"And we can't allow them to attack first and destroy us before we destroy them. Surely you know the basics of combat strategies of _Napoleon Bonaparte,_Chad. We strike them before they strike us. We made the mistake once, we cannot do it again. If it's a gamble they want to play, then so be it—even if we have little info, Christie." Aidan said, sending a look towards the tense girl.

Destroy. How could this happen to Camp? The campers were inseparable, only the occasional healthy fighting and maiming, but other than that, we were a really big family, however dysfunctional we are. How could a small feud of dominance, which only matters to Heracles and not me, set all of us apart?

"We are gambling stakes here, Aidan. We may have the automatons and the armories in our midst but they have the advantage of having the better place." Chad said, clenching his fists.

"And from our allies' verbatim, they had a tenth of a hundred automatons attack them as a diversion for some son of Poseidon." Christie said it as if she wasn't sure of what she heard.

Aidan stiffened. He looked constipated for a second, glancing fearfully at the now-churning sea, before he composed himself. "There is no son of Poseidon in this camp. The only one credited as a demigod is in a coma for the last thirty years. That, we are sure of."

"And you're assuming they gave me the wrong information? That's not the only thing they said. Leo Valdez actually helped."

"That's impossible. He was not seen for the past ten years. Spies have said he's hidden deep in their forges, tempering weapons. He wouldn't come out, unless—"

"Unless it's big," Chad agreed.

"He's back, Aidan. Percy Jackson's back." Christie grimaced and for the first time, I saw a look of terror on her face.

Aidan rubbed his temple. "We'll ask our strategist about this. But if she can't help us, we'll do it my way." The two scowled as they approached a girl on the other side of the field.

I moved closer, almost tripping over stray seaweed, and saw a girl seated on a sand dune, typing on her laptop and talking to someone on her headset. With a jolt, I realized it was Annabeth. The one I came here for.

Her blonde hair raised into a tight bun made her look cute and her eyebrows were scrunched together in concentration. I couldn't count all the times I saw her face in that expression. But I couldn't care more if she always saves my butt in our quests. What made my heart break into tiny pieces

was that she was wearing the red shirt with a lightning bolt in front. Before, I don't give any attention to what she wears, unless she purposely dressed up for me, but this was like she was spitting in my face. I shook my head and moved closer.

"…yes, I understand. But how could he still—"She stopped talking and listened. It sounded like the person on the other end was angry—Very angry.

"I know, I know. I'm not coming back to him. I—No! Of course not—I'm in a relationship!"

My heart started to beat faster. _She still loves me._

But that changed as she said the next few words.

"Why in the name of the gods would I wear his shirt?"

_Oh gods._ My jaw dropped to the floor.

I know what you're going to say…That I'm so stupid to believe her—that I'm too young to understand the meaning of love, if you consider twenty young.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Blood sloshed in my head. Standing to my right was Heracles, in all his godly presence, which annoys me to ends. He was wearing the standard red shirt his fan club seems to wear and he was in faded blue jeans. I can't deny he looked good, but I'm a guy and I hate the guy in front of me.

"To lose the one you love? To see her near you but can't do anything about it? To know that you can't do anything but just watch while it kills you inside," Heracles whispered, voice deadpanned.

I stood up and faced him. There were no commotion of running from the other side so maybe, I'm the only who can see him or he had the sense to stay quiet for once. I put my hand in my pocket and gripped Riptide. "How could you do this to camp, to my friends and to…Annabeth?"

"Oh, please—I didn't do anything, cousin. They brought this upon themselves. After all, you can't honestly blame me for their mistakes."

"You tricked them. You divided them and tricked them into fighting each other." I felt something grip my chest in a very painful way.

"_Helped_them see the truth," he corrected. "They were too smitten with you that they forgot they are battle-hardened warriors, not lovesick puppies in a ridiculous love fest."

My blood boiled. "You destroyed their life. You killed their siblings. They lost their family, because of you." _Every war has its casualties, Perce._ Losing someone is hard; losing your family is the worst.

Heracles grimaced, but his cold blue eyes glinted strangely. "A price needs to be paid—each one of us has lost and gained. It neither makes us a better person or a worse person if we lost or gained more, just builds us into a stone that crushes our enemies."

"We had lives! We had a family! We were fine before you came around—now look at where that's gotten us." I yelled.

"And do you think this is only hard for you?" Lightning crackled and thunder bellowed in the distance.

"What—what's that supposed to mean?"

"Leave," Heracles threatened. "Leave us be and never look back. We are in the Fates' hand now—you more than us. Sever your ties and leave this place for good." Then he glowed into a blinding light and was gone, leaving me with more questions than before.

But I have more to think about. Shouts were heard from the other side of the dune as they walked towards the place I was standing. They looked surprised for a moment before they snapped out of their trance. Immediately, her siblings raised their weapons and pointed it at me. Annabeth paled, gray eyes popping.

"Percy?" Annabeth breathed.

"Annabeth." I choked. I was too miserable and confused to think of anything good to spit at her face.

"Don't you dare say her name, you jerk!" The girl with blue highlights, Christie, snarled.

"You sent a hurricane at her, for crying out loud!" Her twin, Chad, shrieked. The sea became restless as it reacted to my confusion and sadness.

I ignored them. "Annabeth, how could you?"

Annabeth did not meet my eyes. I felt mine tear up as her betrayal hit me hard in the gut.

I turned to my girlfriend. "Annabeth?"

She did not answer. That shot me down.

Aidan sneered. "Are you really dumb? She's scared of you! You were much more similar to your father than she thought and despised you for it."

Annabeth? Scared of me? I've done much more terrifying things before and most of the times she encourages it. But…why now?

"Why now, Annabeth? Why didn't you tell me in the first place so we wouldn't be here? Why?"

Is this what would always be a question in my life? Not what, when, where, or how— Just why?

Her face softened a little before it hardened. I stepped back. I've never had this expression directed to me. What her next words stabbed my shattered heart slowly.

"I thought you were the one." She whispered, tears falling down her face.

I sucked a sharp breath as I remembered the first words she ever said to me. When my mom got kidnapped by the Minotaur and I literally dragged Grover by his legs, she and Chiron were the first ones to see us. And then that sentence led into many fights, quests, war and love.

_Guess I didn't see that one coming, eh?_ I thought bitterly.

"I'm sorry." I said.

Annabeth looked cautious. For one thing, she had done something I knew she would have done. _She wouldn't forgive someone if she knew what she had done is right_, I bitterly thought. Her fatal flaw: hubris. That doesn't make me feel better. "For what?"

"For ever meeting you; For bringing you into so much trouble; For not being the hero that you always wanted…For being in love with you that I was planning to propose to my one true love. And I'm sorry it cannot happen." I turned my back on her and walked away, her words drumming in my head hard.

"What are you talking about?" I turned and saw that she was crying hard but she kept her cool composure up. Her gray eyes rimmed with red and her face tear-stained ruined her cool composure but her shoulders were tense and upright.

I nodded. "I was planning to give you this."

I rummaged in my jeans pocket and pulled out a red velvet box. I silently thanked Aphrodite for putting this in my jeans, or now was my man-skirt pocket. If she did not, who knows what would have happened? I opened the box and came out simple gold ring with leaves intertwined in it. But what caught her eye was the biggest diamond Hephaestus could find. It was his thanks to me for destroying Gaea and her 'meanies' and protected their source of power which was in Greece.

Annabeth gasped and walked slowly towards me. She raised a finger to stroke the diamond. I stared at her flawless face as long as I can, feeling that this is the last time I could ever get close to her.

"Percy—"

"I've had enough, Annabeth." I sighed. "If this is not enough for you, then I'm sorry I couldn't be the one."

She reached out to touch my face but I took a step back. It wouldn't be good if I let her close the distance between us.

For her siblings and for me as well.

"I'm sorry—"She cried.

I raised a hand to stop her. My hand was shaking badly. "You were never a good liar, Wise girl. Stop pretending that you are." I tossed the velvet box to her and took a step back.

"You know what, Annabeth? I still love you. It blows my mind how one man could be this loyal to a girl but it happens…And I was that man. Even though you practically mowed me to the ground with a huge lawn mower when you accepted your mother's gift, I still loved you despite that. And I owe you for the times you saved me from death. Guess I owe you my life." I took a deep breath and spat the next words that made me choke.

"So I'll give you want you want—freedom. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, you are now a free woman." I turned around and walked away.

_Talk about dramatic._

"Wait! Percy, let me explain! It's just—I didn't know you would make a huge step for me and I couldn't wait…Please give me one more chance!" She yelled. Her façade has broken and now I see the Annabeth that became my best friend. But no sane person would want their best friend to look sad and miserable. I approached her until we are a foot apart and I gripped her shoulders comfortingly.

At that point, I knew that what I'll do will affect everyone else. Up to this point, I really want Annabeth. I can't go to adventures without her by my side, a fact you surely noticed. I can't make stupid mistakes without her correcting it like a brainiac would.

But I shouldn't be in her life again. She made that clear enough. Because I loved Annabeth and she will always be my first girlfriend, I owe her much more than a goodbye and a short break-up.

"I gave you all that I have, Annabeth." I whispered loud enough for her to hear. "All the chances in the world to come back to me, all the time you can get in thirty years to make a move—but you didn't. Now, I have nothing to give to you, nothing to offer. All of my hopes for us being together are just a fairy tale. And for that fairy tale to actually happen would take a lifetime to have the chance to come true. And I can't wait that long, Wise girl."

"Like I said, I'll give you what you deserve from your pathetic ex-boyfriend: freedom…and a goodbye."

I felt the weight lift off my shoulders. I let out a quiet sigh, resisting the urge to bawl like a kid.

"Percy," Annabeth had a sad smile on her face. "I'm sorry it had to be this way. You have no fault in this, remember that. I—I let my pride get the best of me and…that's not fair for you. I thought I could change everything if I became a goddess; that it's for the better. I was a hypocrite when I didn't think of you—well, I still am."

She continued. "I know I don't have the right to hope that we'll come back to the way it was before, but...Can we please end this right?"

I offered her a shaky smile. "I'd like that."

She grabbed my arm and pulled me into a tight hug. As soon as it started, she let go and gave me a grin. But her eyes were shining as they betrayed her sadness and regret.

"Get going, Seaweed Brain. I'll cover for you."

"What about you?"

"I always look after myself. It's only you who needs babysitting." She gave me a last smile and walked away.

We ended well, thankfully unscathed—but I really don't know if both of us would ever be the same again. Too cliché, but it's the truth. Somehow, Heracles was right; I had to sever whatever Annabeth and I had so that we can get the burden off our shoulders.

Blackjack was there, waiting for me.

_Come on, boss. Let's get you to your cave._

I did not argue. I pulled myself up and let him fly into the setting sun.

! #$%^&*()

_Calm. Peace._

This is what my life should be, not a reality TV show that shows how you get beaten up, wounded and bruised by monsters and ex-girlfriends. At some point in a demigod's life, it's natural to curse the gods for existing. It makes you feel better when you have others to blame other than yourself. But after that, guilt will eat you inside out and you'll feel bad because you have some fault in there too.

So much for comfort now, is it?

I was seated on a sand dune in an isolated part of the shore. Blackjack was lying in the corner, dozing off and unconscious to notice anything. I've only been here once when I got adventurous and explored the place. Thankfully, I was the only one who knows this. It was a breath-taking sight. The sea was in hues of blue and green with a tinge of orange as the sun begins to sink in the horizon. I may not be an artist but I do know how to appreciate nature.

A thought ran into my head. What would happen if mom never went to Montauk? What would happen if she never met my dad?

It may be funny but I always gave a thought about how the phrase, _'what if?'_ Heck, it seems like that's how a life of a demigod runs. I even asked Grover, the deep philosophical satyr I know and who happens to be my best friend, to give me some advice or even some hitting in the head if I was becoming too pushy about it.

He always gives me a _what-the-Hades?–_stare and tells me that there's no going back, that from the point that I met him I was pretty much a goner. I mean, who can blame him? We were battling nasty _laistrygonians_ at that time and he was getting very pissed when they stepped on some juniper trees.

And Nico? Don't even ask. He laughed all the way to Alaska when we got a quest from the goddess of flowers and bossiness, Persephone.

Only Thalia understood, which is very surprising because she always jumps on the opportunity to make me look like an idiot. She didn't answer me, though. She just got real quiet and did not talk to me for the day.

Good friends I got there.

"Such a nice place you found, Perseus." I didn't bother to look beside me. No one, even monsters and gods, calls me by my first name casually when I made a huge production of banishing Gaea into Tartarus.

"Yeah it is." I murmured.

"I saw what happened at camp, son." I felt his eyes burning on the side of my face. Odd enough, I was partly grateful that he bothers to sit by me and watch the sunset when the creator of the Universe can just visit some cool galaxy and leave me to wallow pathetically.

"You didn't pick me up." I said.

"You had to do something. I cannot help someone with a burdened heart. And the only thing to grip peace is to let go."

It was silent. "I made a stupid mistake," I started. "Athena's right. My fatal flaw will be the end of me. I lost many things." I watched an eagle swoop down the sea to fetch his food. I suddenly wished that everything could be as simple as fetching your catch and eating it.

I expected him to say something deep to make me feel better but all he said was,

"Life is such a beautiful thing." I turned to look at Chaos in disbelief. He did not saw me looking at him, fixated on the bird.

"A complex imagination I got in my crazed brain, I guess. But then, it turned out as a splendor. Very simple yet it is difficult as well." He said.

"Yeah, difficult. Wish you could have told me sooner. Saved me from all the trouble." I muttered sarcastically.

His eyes met mine. It wasn't blood that I saw but they were flames. Dark red flames that you wouldn't see anywhere else. It wasn't like Ares' hateful ones or Hestia's warm gaze. It was more of a mystery to me since I've never seen pure red fire before.

"And you understand it better than anyone else." He said cryptically. That stung a bit.

"If I understood how the heck life gives a crap, I would've been a good candidate for an Oracle and would've foreseen my decisions before I make them. Like Rachel did—But I don't. I made so many mistakes that I even got my family killed. Camp got divided because of me, my girlfriend broke up with me because she's scared of me, I'm about to risk my life again for some stupid prophecy—What more of understanding life do you want? I don't even understand how the Fates give all they crap they could offer to make me look bad."

I know I sounded whiny but I really don't care, I had to let it all out. I was nervous that I angered the oldest being ever but he didn't look bummed out from my little explosion...he just looked amused.

"And because of those reasons, you grew into a man who has more knowledge about life than the Fates themselves."

"How? If I barely even know how the water cycle works, how much more if life comes into the picture?" I snorted.

His eyes felt like he was penetrating into my soul. "Because I know you, Perseus. I've always watched you and I know you finally grasped on the concept of life."

I stared at him in exasperation. "Look, I want to be honest with you here...I don't have some patience with your philosophical advice and my mind's going to explode if I think too much now, so—"

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "For someone so smart, you are very dumb." I blushed.

"I just don't understand it, that's all. I thought facing all the gods and titans as your enemies is really bad, but—"

"I know it's hard, Percy, but you have to understand my point."

I opened my mouth but he beat me to it. "Percy, you experienced so much pain that you became immune to it. Despite all that happened to you, you still continue to move forward. It may seem hopeless for you, but the fact that you're here in camp justifies that you are willing to do anything to make your life worth living."

Worth living.

"You can't know that." I looked away and stared down at my hands.

"I've seen man journey into so many paths: Success, happiness, comfort—love." He smiled. I stiffened at the word. "All of those paths have some meaning to your kind, but it always comes down to one: what you learned as you made your way. Many would scoff at the idea, like what you are doing now, and others would be inspired to do great things. But what I found strange is that those who find the idea ridiculous know more than they let on. Take your trainer, Chiron, for example—He lived for thousands of years and saw death many times. He may be saddened by the tragic deaths of his students but he knows he can't prevent it. Your friend Thalia knows this too. And your mother accepted that when her time came." I grimaced.

Chaos continued. "They all know that life goes by. It can't be stopped by anyone—even the Fates. They only chose when to end it but they can't answer the question of how to live it. Only you have the power to make a difference and learn as you go your way. We can easily learn how to hold on and save other's lives, but yielding to how life works is only learned by people who know it the most. Does it make sense to you, Perseus?"

I looked up and stared at him. "Honestly, no."I shook my head.

He chuckled. "You'll know soon." Then he clapped his hands and smiled. "Now, we have some pressing matters at hand. Are you ready?"

I looked behind me. This is it. I heard the conch horn blow in the distance. I remembered the times I tripped on my clothes as I hurry up and get breakfast. I offered varieties of food, from roasted chicken to Cheerio's cereal, to my father. The swords arena—the campfire. Oh yeah, the Capture-the-flag games every Friday. So many good memories I was leaving, and so many bad memories—but I'm not doing this for myself, but for my friends.

"Can I pee first?" Chaos just laughed and I felt the pressure settle on my gut as I was transported to a whole new place I don't even know. But, hey, maybe this isn't really that better than camp, right?


	18. Chapter 18

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

**A/N**_**: **_**I REGRET TO SAY THAT THIS STORY ONLY ENCOMPASSES UP TO THE SON OF NEPTUNE. I HAVEN'T READ THE MARK OF ATHENA BECAUSE I FELT THAT THE STORY LINE WOULD SUFFER IF I PUT MORE SO I PLAN TO FINISH THIS BEFORE I READ IT, JUST FOR YOU GUYS!…SO, THIS STORY IS ONLY UP TO THE SON OF NEPTUNE .**

**Wow, never been in a relationship so I don't know how the break-up thing works. But I really don't get the idea of fighting about it—isn't it enough that you both had hurt each other and you want to part ways? Anyway, enough of that—the real shocker is Chaos. I didn't know Chaos could be that deep. But then again, what did we expect? That he's dumber than Hera's cows? No offense to us meat-lovers there! Gimme some love!**

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

We must have travelled a million miles per hour and I felt the urge to vomit. Shadow-travelling doesn't compare to how fast we're going. My stomach was in knots and I felt like my head was splitting up in two.

All in all, not a really good experience.

When he sent me back to my body in Olympus, I didn't feel this much pain. But then I was in a hospital bed with a very deadly wound near my heart so experiencing more would serve as an anesthetic or something.

Then the spinning stop and I landed on the ground. To those who haven't tried travelling without any solid object to hold on to, don't try to attempt banging your head on the wall or falling down head-first with a massive headache, because you're going in lots of pain, to say the least.

"Ow." I put both of my hands on my head.

I heard a chuckle beside me." It'll take some getting used to."

"Yeah, well, I don't think getting used to this would matter if I'm literally crouching on the ground, writhing in pain." I pulled out a face. It hurts even to move my mouth, like I got a huge dosage of Novocaine shot in my gums.

"Then, I would have to list this on the things you need to learn from me." Chaos said happily. "Wouldn't that be nice?"

His voice was ringing in my head. The veins in my temple were throbbing painfully. I wondered idly if this is how you get a hangover after drinking bottles of beer, less with the vomiting and saying nonsense words of course. I groaned and put my hands on my ears. "Stop with the yelling! I feel like my head is going to explode!"

He laughed. "A mere side-effect of my way of travelling."

"Mere side-effect? I don't even want to think what the big side-effect would do." I scowled up at him. His frame towered over me. It hurt to look up at his face but I tried. I squinted and saw his eyes flaming with mirth and slight annoyance.

He rolled his eyes. "You know, instead of complaining about something I couldn't control, why don't you take a look at where you are now?"

I stood up, ignoring the screams of pain in my muscles. Then I looked around and it felt like my brain stopped thinking.

_Oh my gods, this is not camp_. My eyes exclaimed.

You know those sci-fi movies about faraway planets with green, yellow-eyed aliens saying '_Take me to your leader, earthling!'_? And those cool space ships with hundreds of laser machine guns that fires thousand miles per hour and then a huge blast comes off where that red light had hit? And then there's a huge city with lots of high-tech gadgets and the people with disks on their backs as their I.D or something? Well, where I am now is true. No—I didn't mean the weird aliens with only three fingers. I meant the place.

It was something that even I can't dream of. I was on the outskirts of a huge city with lots of skyscrapers. Nothing new, it's like I'm in New York again. No, it was what it's made of that made me gasp—glass. It was too thin for my liking, like it would fall with a gust of the wind and it looked too fragile to even touch, let alone used as walls of a 100-story tall skyscraper, and also the fact that I couldn't see anyone inside like a one-way mirror. Who would've thought that you could use glass as ceiling and roof? But as I looked above, I knew why. The sky was clear, with some thin clouds scattered around the blue sky. It was picturesque in a weird way. It looked like it came out of a painting.

Beautiful and unreal.

Then a heard a loud whirring sound. I looked up and mouthed _Wow_. This is unreal.

_Spaceships._

Hundreds of spaceships were flying in a synchronized movement going into the city. They were made of a black metal that glinted in the moonlight; or moonlights since this planet has three moons. They were sleek and fast it was a blur. They have no turbines outside the ship, only its thin wings that seemed like a barbeque stick compared to the airplanes on Earth. They did some circling motions then disappeared in the clouds.

"Public transportation. Useful nowadays." Chaos shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal.

I stared at him disbelief. "You have spaceships that serve as public buses?" When I said that, it sounds ridiculous. But then I saw them with my own eyes so I can't argue with him about having super cool rockets that is used like a Greyhound bus. I wonder what their 'sports cars' look like.

He nodded and grinned, his fangs peeping out. "No big deal. You haven't seen the best of them yet."

! #$%^&*()

I stepped into the city, dazed. It was beautiful and nothing compared to Olympus. It was some kind of mix between the old times and modern times with a lot of futuristic themes in it. True to words, the buildings were made of glass but then there were others made of the strange black metal I saw on the ships. Modernized and sophisticated.

As we go deeper into the city, I saw a few buildings that have celestial bronze and imperial gold as their walls so I knew the owner is Greek or Roman. Even the ground that I'm walking on wasn't cement. It was glass, pure glass. I had to stop myself from stomping just to see how strong the glass I'm walking on. With my luck, that won't be good.

It was like New York. People were bustling around the busy streets. But they don't look normal. Some of them wore Greek chiton that people wore in the olden times and many wore a simple shirt and tattered jeans. But some of them wore white jumpsuit and white eyeliner. Their hairdos were normal but there are others who have outrageous ones that look like a peacock.

"Welcome to the Heart." Chaos made a huge waving motion towards the city, like the exaggerated sales lady selling some product.

"Why are they wearing white jumpsuit?" I pointed to a few who were drinking.

He shrugged. "Standard uniform in the army. I told you that I have an army, didn't I?"

"Yeah. You did." I said. I didn't watch where I was going, too amazed with the city, that I didn't notice a huge car stop behind me.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" I turned and gaped.

It was like a dream come true. It was a car but not what a car would look like. It has no wheels. But it has huge holes where bluish-white energy where coming off. The car has a sleek body, with fiery blue as its paint. I could've sworn I saw those huge rotating turbines that shoot missiles in X-men movies put on the sides. There were no doors and windows, only a square hole where the driver's head is glaring at me.

"Are you deaf? Get out of the way!" He raised his fist towards me. Yep, New York and its rude attitude.

Chaos decided to interrupt and stood at my side. "Young man, I suggest you watch that tongue of yours."

The driver's eyes widened and he shot out of the car. I mean, literally shot out because his chair pushed him off the car. He flew a few meters in the air and hit the ground in front of us. The other cars behind him were honking loud, slowly piling up into a traffic jam. I wondered what the traffic cop would look like and if he has his own car to drive its way into the city.

"I beg your utmost pardon, your Excellency." The man bowed deeply. He was wearing a green jumpsuit and dark green eyeliner. What is with these people and eyeliners? Is it some kind of a trend or something? And if he's in the army, he must have a high ranking position. And that would explain a lot since people like him tend to push their way using their power.

I noticed everyone stop to stare at us. When they saw who I was with, they bowed immediately to the floor. _Chaos must be their resident god in here,_ I thought.

Chaos nodded, though his eyes were flaring in irritation. He grabbed my arm and pulled me away. The crowd parted as if we're some kind of disease but it didn't stop them from whispering to the ones beside them.

"_Lord Chaos is here?"_

"_Why is Lord Chaos walking among us without protection?"_

"_Who must thy fledgling be?"_

The murmurings grew louder until every whisper is unintelligible. Not that I care about what they're saying—I've had my serving of Percy-is-a-freak-let's-stare-at-him dish to last a lifetime or two. Chaos stopped in front of a shop.

It looked small compared to the towering buildings but there was some kind of familiarity as I stared at it. It has no signs, just windows and a gold door with a screen. What surprised me was the sign engraved above the screen. It was a trident, my father's trident. Now I'm curious as to why Chaos would stop here.

He put his pale hand on the screen and it dinged to life. Red light came off the screen and went down his palm, scanning it. How important must that shop be to have a state-of-the-art doorbell with palm scanning?

Then a woman's voice spoke.

_Welcome Lord Chaos, creator of the Universe and deity of all._

Chaos pulled his hand out and turned to me. "Your turn."

I gulped and put my hand on the screen. I didn't know why I felt scared, but I just did. It was disconcerting to have to put your hand on something you don't even know. Okay, well, I know _what_ it was; I just don't know _why _I had to.

The red light came down and scanned my palm. Then the same voice spoke.

_Welcome Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon and hero of Olympus._ I'm not sure I'm hallucinating or not, but I could've sworn I saw the door glow for a second.

I stepped back, startled, and turned to Chaos. He smiled. "Push the door, Percy. It knows you."

_The door knows me?_ Even thinking it is creepy. I wonder what Nico would say if he heard Chaos say that, probably something out-of-this-world and annoying. Hesitant, I pushed it open.

"It's a library." I said.

The vast room was filled with lofty shelves and thousands of books, literally. On the outside, it didn't look like it. There were two spiraling stairs of white marble on both ends of the room leading to the upper levels of shelves and whatever it was in there.

I walked to one of the smaller shelves and took a closer look. The parchment that was encased in some frame has some weird writings that looked like a boat and some dude with an umbrella. I'm smart enough to know that they are so not in English. And with my dyslexia acting up, they just look like untidy scrawls of overcooked spaghetti. But the thing I noticed was the engravings in the small, golden strip of metal pinned above each shelf.

_2000 B.C. _I stepped back, alarmed. This isn't _just _a library, it's a freaking museum! That must be why they have some glass on the outside, protecting the old parchments.

I inspected the other shelves and it was the same, only it was a tad older. "2500 B.C…3000 B.C…Chaos, these things must be ancient!"

To my right, Chaos was staring at a small, earthen jar. "And that must be why it has a piece of glass protecting it now, don't you think?"

I heard the sarcasm but I was too focused at what I was seeing above. There was no roof, as I saw on the outside of the library but a glass dome with so many paintings—that are moving. It was like the Solar System that I studied when I was in my third grade, only this is much more detailed and real. It was starry sky with planets revolving around each other. Jupiter was turning lazily with its reddish surface glaring harshly and Saturn looked so beautiful with its rings.

It wasn't my thing but the number of all the nerdy stuff in here blows my mind.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a comet pass on a strange yellow planet with lots of craters.

I tilted my head further, blinking rapidly. "I know I'm not crazy, well, _yet, _but that is not a planet within the Solar System."

"No, it's not," Chaos answered. "The universe is a very vast place of celestial bodies and huge balls of noxious gases that can blast you to pieces that you cannot simple travel from on system to another without having a blown family tree of your children and grandchildren before you reach one."

"So, I guess it's a good thing you can travel with that blasted teleportation of yours to peep on innocent Martians any time you want, right?" I muttered scathingly. I really hate how Chaos 'travels'.

"Yes, no and no. I can travel from one system to another without any hassle because of the 'blasted teleportation' and because I know the universe like the back of my hand. And plus, I really don't peep on Martians—Too problematic with the foreign affairs."

I was pretty sure my jaw dropped to the floor. "Wait—you're not seriously saying they're real, right? That E.T is real and that he called that poor kid with a telephone, right?"

Chaos did not answer. That's a good enough answer, though I'm not sure which one he was saying yes to.

Okay, so maybe it _is _important, because I've never been to a library as huge and as wide with ancient hullabaloos and moving galaxies of weird-colored planets like this one and a museum doesn't count because a library can't possibly have tissue-wrapped dead Egyptian kings around— but would it be bad if I wished the door hid something much cooler, like spaceship sport cars?

I picked up the nearest book on a pedestal and turned to Chaos.

"What language is this?" I said. He looked over and shrugged.

"Egyptian. It's a book about some demon fruit bats."

"Demon fruit bats? Who in their right mind would write anything about bats?"

"Egyptians are a bit 'off their rocker' when it comes to demonic creatures such as bats." He said it so casually that I had to slap my head twice so as to shake off any strange hallucinations of books with picture of sparkling demonic fruit bats.

"That's it; I want to leave this place." I shook my head. And I was overwhelmed with all that happened and it actually lasted for a day when it felt like weeks. And no, it's not about the bats either.

He shook his head, picking up the book and putting it back on the pedestal. "I have a reason why I brought you here, not to just browse on these facts."

"Then why are we here? Out of all the places we can go, you bring me to a library?" Okay, that was a bit untrue. This was the coolest library I've been to so far, but I really do have the tendency to whine when I'm shocked and disoriented.

"Maybe it's because of me." A voice said behind me.

"Whoa. Who's there?" I pulled out Riptide and brandished my sword in front of me. If it is a book that speaks, I'll lose my sanity indefinitely.

"Easy there, demigod." Out of nowhere, a hand grasped my blade and pulled it down. I squeaked and stepped back, bumping into Chaos who fell on his bum. It would've been funny if he didn't accidentally bumped into a ceramic green vase and broke it when he fell down.

_Crack._

The ceramic vase shattered under the weight of the creator of the universe. I had a weird image of Kronos, the titan of time and evilness, disappearing under a blue giant butt.

"Oops." I bit my lip. I lent a hand towards him. He stared at me in disbelief before grabbing it with his cold, pale ones. Because I was used to his body temperature, I didn't cringe one bit.

"I would say thank you but that was out of the question." He grumbled, rubbing his back.

"This may be the first time I saw Chaos do that." The voice chuckled.

I heard it coming from the darkness on the other side of the room. I squinted and saw a faint outline of a man with a huge shoulder? I don't know. His left one looked a lot taller than his other. I wonder if this is some freaky disorder in this place, where your body parts go taller instead of bigger.

Then he stepped out of the darkness. The man was clad in the traditional one-shouldered Greek _chiton_ and the leather man-skirt men used to wear during the ancient times. There was a huge golden baseball bat strapped on his back and a three-foot long sword celestial bronze tied to his waist. He was tall and lean with a bit of stubble on his chin. But the bird perched on his shoulder caught the prize.

He was huge, like eagle-huge, but from his beak and form, I know he isn't an eagle. Take it from me that staring at the eagle staff of protection of Camp Jupiter for hours you'd learn by now what an eagle looks like. And from what I know, an eagle is not golden. Yep, this bird has golden feathers with a tinge of blue in it. Its sharp eyes were gray and his beak was golden but the top of its head was all blue.

_I know this bird from somewhere…_

"You have a bird on your shoulder." I said stupidly.

"Why, yes. Meet Chryses." The man smiled and gestured to Chryses. If birds can smile, then this one definitely did.

"Golden." I murmured.

'_Squawk! Greetings, son of Poseidon.'_

I stumbled back. Did the bird, Chryses, just greet me? In my head? I know I've been hallucinating for quite a bit but that isn't a hallucination. I really heard it.

"Chryses has an ability to talk to whomever he wishes. And I would like you to know that he really likes you." He said.

"Oh, uh—thanks?" I said slowly.

Chaos patted my back. "Percy, do you know why we we're here?"

I shook my head. "Not really."

"Take a closer look at the man." Chaos pointed.

I stepped closer and stared at him. He was handsome; the type of guy Aphrodite would die for. By why does Chaos want me to look closer—?

What assumed his eyes would be was…

Then my eyes widened in disbelief.

_No freaking way!_

"You're not—"

"Actually, I am. Welcome to the Heart, demigod…or should I say, brother?" His sea-green eyes crinkled in amusement. Sea-green eyes like dad's…

_Sea-green eyes like mine._

"Theseus? The Real Theseus?"

Okay, I know many of you are surprised that I know who this guy was. Actually, I did a bit of light-reading about all of my past brothers one time in camp, slightly hoping that they'll accompany me and save me from the Heracles' drama. Thanatos accidentally slipped, or if you call accidentally slipped with a Stygian sword on your neck by a deranged son of Hades, into saying that a dark-haired, sea-green eyed hero escaped in Elysium and never came back.

The man, or Theseus, frowned. "Every mother who commemorates my adventures by naming their sons by my name is real and definitely is her son."

"No, I meant, the Original Theseus who killed the Minotaur in the Labyrinth." I hastily replied.

Theseus grinned. "Yes, and he is very much alive."

Then Chaos coughed. "I wouldn't want to barge in into this happy moment so I should probably leave and get back to some business that needs attention."

Theseus nodded. "Thank you for bringing my brother back here, Lord Chaos. I'll take him to see the whole city as a favor to you."

Chaos smiled. "Thank you, Theseus. Oh, and Percy?" He turned to me, a mischievous glint in his flaming eyes. "We will start your training tomorrow. Meet me up in my office at 6 am sharp."

"But that's too early!" I yelled, my voice edging to hysteria. It was even earlier than the wake-up call in camp! But before I could say more, he vanished.

! #$%^&*()

"So, what do you think of this place Percy?" Theseus asked.

We were walking downtown, passing through the bustling crowd. It was amazing. The place has so many stores in electronic gadgets: from really cool phones to nuclear-powered _PlayStation_ boxes. There were also coffee shops with red umbrella stands. Why they need an umbrella when the sun is not that hot is beyond me. So, I looked closer and gasped. It wasn't for shade, it was for entertainment.

Movies were playing in 4D in those hologram visions and you don't need those huge glasses to watch it! Then we stopped by an ice cream shop. They have varieties of ice cream available but it wasn't what I usually order. There was no chocolate, vanilla or strawberry flavor. Rather, they have outrageous colors like neon orange and hot pink but when you taste it, it's like you can taste anything you want. I was licking the orange flavor and it tastes like chocolate!

I licked it happily. "Wow. They have this kind of ice cream?"

Theseus grinned. "You haven't tasted the best of it yet."

"Hmm." I smiled. "Are there skateboards in here?"

He looked confused. "Skateboards?"

I would've reprimanded him for not knowing the best thing a guy could have but then he had been dead for thousands of years so I couldn't say anything.

"Oh, you know those boards with wheels on it so you can roll away to wherever you want."

His face lit up. "Oh! You mean the _Gliderboards_!"

"What?"

"_Gliderboards_. Where did I last saw that? Hmm…Aha!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me away.

"What're you doing?" I yelled. He didn't answer but tugged on my arm harder. We turned, backtracked and crossed the streets.

We ended up in a huge building that was as tall as the Empire State Building. It was made of the black metal so I can't see what was inside. I looked up and saw a smaller model of a spaceship perched on top of the building. I silently wondered if that spaceship is real as it looks like one.

"Theseus, where are we?" I looked around and saw kids my age were entering the shop with huge smiles on their faces.

"We're in the Depot." He answered.

"Are we here to buy furniture for your store? Because if that's the reason, don't ask my opinion on what color to choose for your bedroom wall."

He stared at me funny. "No, we're here because you want to look at the Gliderboards, savvy?"

I was blown away when we entered the building. My first impression was that it would be dark as the Underworld but it was the opposite. It was bright inside, almost blinding me. After I blinked away the yellow spots, I gasped.

"Welcome to the _Gliderboards_ department." Theseus grinned.

I slowly approached the nearest stall and literally drooled. It was so much better than the skateboards at Rockefeller. It was solid piece of gold and there are no wheels. I would assume that something as heavy as gold couldn't be lifted by small 4 one-inch wheels but then I saw spaceships and weird ladies with peacock headdresses so I'm not that surprised. And the best part is, the big room is filled with _Gliderboards_!

A lady with white-blonde hair approached me. "What are your specifications, sir? Light, mediate, advanced or sophisticated?"

"Huh?" I looked over at Theseus who shrugged.

"We'll take a look at your sophisticated models." He said. The saleslady winked and walked away.

"Sophisticated?" I frowned uncertainly.

He turned to grin at me. "The best there is."

"Theseus, thank you. I—"

"Percy, for the thousandth time, you don't need to thank me. Consider it as your welcome gift here, brother."

Beside me lies my new _Gliderboard_ 3000, the newest model to come out of the market. It was midnight black with a tint of sea-green color when Theseus asked the saleslady to upgrade it a bit. Now it has some cool modifications. It can actually disappear into thin air, as well as the rider. It has some sort of GPS system in it so you can't be lost. Then it has cool machine guns built in its system so you can go shoot with it anytime you want. A small rocket was attached on its back so you can go flying at the speed of sound. The best part is that it has a store of fruity yoghurt that replicates itself so it wouldn't be finished.

But the bad part is that it cost Theseus a thousand drachmas. Yes, this city has so many currencies that everything is possible for you to pay—card, debit or cash. He reassured me that it was nothing compared to his salary and that it was worth it, if it was for his youngest brother.

"But—"

"No buts, Perseus." He said sternly then his face shifted into a wide grin.

"So tell me what has been happening in the mortal world."

"Well, there's my camp—"

"Camp?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You haven't heard about camp?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I have been here for a long time and I did not bother to ask strangers about it."

I shrugged and slipped into a long topic about camp. He was ecstatic when he heard that there was a place where all demigods can stay and train better for the monsters. I didn't plan to tell him all of my quests but staying with my half-brother and having someone to talk to open my mouth a bit wider.

"I must say, Percy, your quests are nothing like I've ever done. And you actually survived so I'm proud of you, brother."

He was horrified when he heard that Kronos woke up after being chopped into pieces. And made a whoop of cheer when he heard that I helped Luke sent him back to his mother. Hard. Then I started telling him about my memories being erased by the resident cow of Olympus, Hera and all about Camp Jupiter and Gaia meanies coming out of the ground. At first, he got so stiff then he lightened up slowly when he realized that the Romans were our allies in the Second Great War. Then I got to the recent events…

The air went somber when I spat out the tragic death of my family. It still stings a lot when I think about it but I somehow owe it to the guy. But I left out the part where I slipped into a coma for three decades, and got a bit suicidal and made my dad pull out his hair one by one.

"The gods gave you their blessings?" Theseus asked. I felt like hiding from his penetrating gaze. It felt like he can see what I was thinking… what I was hiding.

I rubbed my hands together, nervous. "I never wanted any of it, honestly. But you know as well as I do that the gods aren't easy to handle with. And once they put their minds on one thing, they're as stubborn as bulls."

"Bulls?"

"The Minotaur. The Colchis Bulls. You name it- Even the ordinary one that attacks red people. All of them, stubborn as Hades."

Theseus rolled his eyes. "Ha! The Minotaur, fierce and big with a brain the size of a peanut, sure was hard to kill even if his brain span is smaller than my pinky. But you're right, the gods aren't easily swayed."

"I know. Apollo's gift was useful since I can't shoot an arrow to save my life."

I remembered the time I shot Chiron on the tail. Chiron was smiling forcibly, while he removed the arrow. It sure looked like it really hurt him but I had to admire his patience.

"I couldn't possibly find an answer to that. All of Poseidon's children have the same problem. I can aim an arrow but not shoot it. Yes, it must be useful."

I nodded. "But I have to say, Hestia's gift was unexpected."

He looked shocked. "What?"

"Hestia gave me the power over fire. I'm afraid to use it since I have really bad experiences with flames." A terrible understatement; I was shot out of a volcano, for gods' sakes!

"Efficient, brother. A son of the sea who has the power to control fire, I've never heard the likes of it."

"Trust me, you won't hear it. I wasn't planning on using it anyway; maybe I'll return it back to Hestia—"

"I do not think that is advisable, Percy. A goddess has given you an invaluable gift so she expects you to put it to a use. Once, I received a small token from a god and I refused to take it because of some old feud. Let's just say it nearly killed me once I realized how badly I needed it at that moment."

I shivered involuntarily. "Fine, I'll find a way to make it work. But I'll definitely return Aphrodite's gift of immense beauty." I gagged and grimaced.

But Theseus never planned to mourn with me.

He laughed. "Oh wow, that's priceless. Aphrodite, gift of immense beauty? I've never heard of another remake of Persephone-Adonis-Aphrodite triangle. Oh, the fans would be ecstatic! I wonder; did Persephone show her affections by showering you with her sunflowers and daisies?"

My eyes widened in horror. "Please tell me that would never happen."

"You never know, brother. You may even look better than that upstart jerk. And it's a plus that you're the Hero of Olympus and, as I've heard from the ladies, a complete gentleman." He winked.

_Oh gods!_"Okay—enough of the topic."

"Ha! You're face was priceless. I couldn't wait to see Persephone's face once she sees your new makeover."

"Dude, she hates me! Like hates me, with a burning passion—"

"Calm down, brother. I just like to see you get so riled up. But it's an interesting topic, to say the least. It's somewhat similar to Perseus' story, gifts from the gods, stalker goddesses, and the ladies? I wonder what he would think." He mused.

My jaw dropped. "The Perseus is here?"

Theseus rolled his eyes. "Of course, he's my best friend! But you'll meet him soon enough."

"Wow." I mouthed.

"Tell me about it. Girls can't get enough of us and I think you're doing well enough in that subject, brother." He thumped my back.

I blushed as red as a tomato. "Whatever."

His smile vanished into a sad expression. "I'm sorry for your loss, Percy. I wish I could do something."

I stared above his head, so that I won't have to see him pitying me. Or, I won't have to bawl my eyes out like a kid. "Yeah, but I know they're in a safe place so I'm not that sad."

Then he shifted to a thoughtful frown. "Now, I have a question for you. This has been in my mind ever since you triggered my screen on the door…How come you're here?"

"What do you mean?"

"No other demigod son of Poseidon, well the ones I haven't met at least, lives here. And I happen to know since I've never seen you in Elysium before." He said, staring intensely at me.

Elysium? What is he talking about? Then I heard Chryses squawk loudly.

_This place, child, is a sanctuary for the deceased. Those who simply want to start a new life end up here and almost always, they choose to never leave._Chryses' deep voice answered.

"The Heart is for dead people only?" I raised an eyebrow at Theseus who nodded.

"Mortals, demigods, immortals, nature spirits and gods fade away, Percy. Lord Hades may be doing a splendid job managing the traffic in the Underworld but souls also have a life in there. We have the choice to start again or stay in the barriers of Elysium. I took the chance and bargained with Thanatos from here so all of my friends could get away." He explained.

It made sense. Theseus lived hundreds of years ago and he can't possibly be alive after that. I can't help but hope that my family is somewhere here in the city, starting a new life.

"So if you're technically dead, you still remember who you are?" I gauge his response.

"Most of the time. But then there are some that asked Chaos to erase all of their memories and replace it with the good ones so they can start from scratch." He shrugged.

"Oh." I whispered. Maybe they started from scratch and don't remember me at all. "So this place is closed for the dead only?"

I pulled my eyes away from his. I wouldn't be surprised if he can read minds.

Theseus cocked his head to the side, thoughtfully. "Technically, yes. But then there are some special cases…" He trailed off.

I leaned closer. "What special cases?"

He hesitated before answering, his face unreadable. "I heard rumors in the army. You see, Perseus is a ranking officer in the Air Force, being the son of Zeus, and he heard much hearsay from his commanders. They said that there has been a talk that Chaos had been recruiting."

I felt chills roll down my spine. He must be recruiting for the greatest war of all time. Somehow, that doesn't comfort me in the least when you know that you have no other escape other than face this headfirst.

"Recruiting?" I kept my voice even.

He nodded. "Yes. They said that he has been traveling through the realms, calling in mass numbers of demigods who are alive and needs a place to stay; Assuming that the rumors are true, of course. But if Perseus believes it and if he believes that something is true no matter how unbelievable it is, I would believe him—must be his sixth sense or something."

I gulped. "Did, uh-did he say anything else?"

I knew I was skating on dangerous ice if I let the topic go further. Theseus may be a son of Poseidon but he obviously has the brains of Athena from what stories say. Chaos did not exactly tell me that it wasn't allowed to tell anybody what he said about the Fates but it's my choice to tell. And I'm not sure if telling others would be that helpful.

He stared at me for a moment before he answered. "And there's another thing...about a prophecy and the chosen one to fulfill it."

_Oh gods._ _He knows._ Then I remembered his pet can read my mind.

_Chryses!_ I yelled. _Please don't tell your master. I know you know by now._

_Lord Perseus,_ the bird's deep voice said. _Your secret is safe with me and until my master knows the truth, my voice is under your command._

_Thanks._ I breathed a sigh of relief.

"A prophecy?" I asked.

He nodded. "We do not know the full content but I'm certain it's pretty bad."

Pretty bad? That's the understatement of the century!

"And from the uneasiness in the forces, they must have come up with the same conclusion as mine."

Then he looked back at me. "Have you been here before?" I shook my head.

"What do you mean?"

"Usually, people who are alive dream of this place and they get immediate passage in this realm of Lord Chaos. Not everyone gets to dream their own personification of heaven or Elysium in our case, but it's automatic if you did."

"No, I've never even heard of this place before, much less I've seen it." _Until Chaos told me about everything,_ but I did not say that one.

Theseus sighed. "And now we're back to square one. You are a mystery here. First, you're not dead. Second, you haven't dreamed or thought of this place. Third, Lord Chaos is attending to you personally..." He trailed off with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Tell me Percy, have you lost hope in your world?"

"What?" I sat up.

He did not answer me, whispering under his breath. I could almost see the gears in his head turning.

_He's almost there, Lord Percy_. Chryses said.

_I know and I'm scared when he finds out I'm the chosen one for the prophecy._

_Do not fret, my Lord. Once Lord Theseus finds out, he'll help you in your quest. I can say the same with Lord Perseus._

I hope so.

I watched as Theseus' face cloud into confusion then light up in realization. He knows now, Percy. Might as well tell your brother, I thought.

"Percy." I didn't like the stern tone in his voice. It's like he's going to scold me for doing something bad.

"Do you have some involvement in this?" He bored into my soul as if he's scanning me. I gotta learn how to do that…

I choked on my blueberry smoothie.

"Don't act innocent to me, brother." His sea-green eyes were crinkled in suspicion. I found myself thinking what I would say if I found out that Theseus is not being entirely honest with me... Yeah, I'd be pissed too.

I sighed in defeat. "Yeah. I'm somewhat related to what's happening right now."

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. "And what do you mean by that?"

I looked down. "I may be or may not be the child of the prophecy you're talking about."

"You-you mean to say-" He stuttered.

"Yep. I have the impending doom of the whole universe wrapped around my shoulders." I laughed darkly.

Theseus gaped. "Percy, I-I don't know what to say-"

"Don't say anything, brother. Please. For your sake and mine. Swear on the River Styx." I said.

He raised a hand. "I swear on the River Styx to keep the prophecy of Percy Jackson silent until he gave the word that I may tell another soul."

I grimaced. "Thanks, Theseus."

Theseus sat beside me and wrapped an arm on my shoulder. "Percy," He started. "I know you don't want this to happen,"

"Tell me about it." I muttered bitterly.

"But the question is— do you want to have a choice in this?

I knew that this will happen whether I like it or not and I can't simply buy a huge space ship to go travel as far away from this place as possible. No-the only thing I can wish for is to have the chance to make the choice.

I nodded. Theseus offered me a smile. "Then I'll find anything helpful about your prophecy and it would be beneficial if you know what you are really up against. Chaos knows how many times I almost got killed simply for overlooking prophecies."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"Does Poseidon know about this?" He asked.

I stared at him as if he's grown a Hydra head. "Are you kidding? He'll kill me before I could even step a foot out of camp."

"Figures." He muttered under his breath. "Get some sleep, Percy."

I didn't need to be told twice. I slept right there in my chair, too exhausted to move. I silently wondered what the effect of saying to Theseus the truth and if that ever changes things.


	19. Chapter 19

**DISCLAIMER: I humbly present Mr. Rick Riordan's characters! Though the plot and some of the new ones are definitely mine!**

A/N: Some brotherly love in here! Rate and Review if you will!

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I thought that the first thing I can finally do in the Heart is a good, long-demigod dreams-free night.

Then again, who said it was different? The dream started like this.

_I was back in Camp and I was standing on the porch of the Big House. It was the same as I could remember—Long, trilling field sloping down the hills, making its way towards a huge domed arena with cemented bleachers in a stepping pattern. _

_Across the arena which we have come to call the amphitheater lies a dark, wooden forest with no trails. In the distance, huge boulders piled together in a strange imagination of a natural formation of a fist, or as what the campers called "Zeus's fist". Farthest from the Big House was the beach where I came from after my quests—beautiful in the night and also mysterious. It was the same as I imagined it would be—_

_But it wasn't._

_A loud, piercing scream came from the forests. I uncapped Riptide and ran towards it. By the time I reached where the scream came from, I regretted ever coming towards it._

"_No."_

_It was a disaster. Campers were fighting each other in a fight to the death. I saw an Aphrodite camper thrust her sword in a fallen body of a boy who was half as tall as me. Probably ten or eleven._

_This isn't right. Campers were falling down; bodies were strewn on the forest floor, their eyes staring blankly at me. Blood ran all over the place, and a trail of blood making its way towards me. I lifted my foot up, afraid to let the blood even touch me. It was surreal and horrifying. I had a vision like this when I faced Phobos and Deimos with Clarisse La Rue and I realized that this is what I feared most. Camp coming down, dead campers—_

_I shook my head, there may be survivors. I looked around, swallowing the bile that was rising up my throat._

_I ignored the painful stab in my heart as I realized I knew these people. Travis Stoll, Connor Stoll, Katie Gardner, Will Solace, Piper McLean…I could have named more but I had a hard time even thinking of their names._

_Unnamed heroes who died in coldblood, looking up at the face of their once-loved sibling and awaiting the death that will follow._

_Bloodshed. _

_Then I saw a shift of movement. I looked up and my blood boiled in fury. _

_It was Heracles, standing like a victor on top of Zeus's Fist. Though he did not escape unscathed lightly, I grimaced in contempt, he looked fairly well compared to the others who were lying on the ground—_

_No. I must not think of this. I was sent here, even if this was a dream, which almost always is a vision I cannot stop. But for the sake of my peace of mind, I had to try, I had to do something—I must do something. _

_Mourning for the loss of others in the middle of a mission is not always good thing. I learned the hard way that giving anger and revenge free reign in your mind would only lead to more deaths, making you feel guiltier than you already are and blinding you of the small fact that your loss and guilt will be used against you._

_But that doesn't mean I cannot think of those who are still fighting for their lives and for those who perished in the battle. I had to finish what they started and not to put their sacrifice in vain. It was the right thing to do—and doing so would give me an advantage to move forward and properly grieve for my friends once peace settled in._

_You gotta admit, Chiron knows how to rub something worthwhile on me after all._

_His sword was down to his side, signaling the end of a battle. I glared at him some more, but he did not notice._

_Because the surprise came a second later. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw dark-haired boy kneeling in front of him. I did a double take as I realized who the unfortunate boy was._

_Nico di Angelo._

_Nico's sword was down, his head dropped low. Heracles leaned down and whispered something in his ears and flew down beside me. I knew he couldn't see me but it took all of my will not to pummel him to death right then and there. I wondered if I did manage to put my foot out and manage to trip him to his death, will he still feel it even if he couldn't see me?_

_But I had more pressing matters. Nico was wounded, I can assure that. I mean, the golden ichor flowing down the rock formation must have been the dead giveaway now, Percy, I said to myself._

_Sometimes my brain shuts down in the most inappropriate timing._

_I climbed up the rocks faster than I thought possible—which is something, considering 'Zeus' pile of droppings' is really that high— and stopped beside him. He was mumbling profanities under his breath and was glaring at the rocks he kneels upon. It was so Nico, whether in front of the Olympians or bleeding badly that he could suffer svere blood loss—at the mercy of his tormentor, he still has the hated Hades' attitude and guts to badmouth anyone. _

_"Stupid, lying, backstabbing, jerk. I'll make sure you'll die inside Cerberus and Mrs. O'Leary and chuck your remains for Alecto and the Furies to eat and then I'll make you escape and then do it over again and let you test every torture equipment in the kingdom, even those in Tartarus. Father would be reduced to tears of pride, I promise you." He spat as if he couldn't think of anything more horrible thing to say—which wasn't exactly true. _

_Knowing Nico, he could've thought of more, er, colorful and sadistic words to throw if he wasn't on the verge of passing out. Still, the venom and contempt behind the message and the fact that Hades would cry once Nico got the chance to, uh, keep his promise would've made Zeus run with his tail between his legs._

_I chuckled, even though the effort costed me to sound choked and constipated. Hades isn't the boss of the Underworld's feared torturers for nothing._

_As if hearing me, he looked up in anger. He must've not noticed Heracles left, though I wish he had. Imagine the fear in his eyes when he realizes he got a pass as one of Hades' play-toys._

_Then he noticed me, a few feet away to his right. He stared at me with dark, wide eyes, shock and fear emanating from them. "Percy? You're here?"_

_I was wrong. Nico was not wounded; he looked like the epitome of living dead. Golden ichor ran down his face from the huge wound that ran from his right temple to his left cheek. It looked like something that has a claw mauled him like a cat's scratching post. His arm was twisted in a weird angle and his legs had sword cuts that were too deep that his flesh was out in the open._

_Not a good sight, frankly. And to think I learned every thing that could happen if I'm too squeamish at the sight of my body dissected like a frog in Biology labs. (i.e fainting, throwing up, losing sanity, you get the picture.)_

_Manuals for dummies and first-timers in wars regarding battles and death is now sounding like a splendid and ingenious idea. _

_Not to mention the thought of pocket handbooks about maiming, mauling, pushing, torturing, stabbing, beating, hammering, etc and all the info about kinds of wounds that can make you green, sick, and make you lose what you ate could make me rack so many drachmas I could buy all the liquors in the world just to make Dionysus jealous._

_I rummaged through my jeans pockets, thankful that I had a small canister of nectar and a box of ambrosia. I fed the godly food and poured the nectar on his legs. He screamed a deafening cry of pain._

_Yeah, nectar on these kind of wounds would be like pouring brandy, antiseptic alcohol and salt water mixed together. I swallowed the bile that was threatening to come up._

_It never ceases to amaze me at how nectar works with wounds. It's like there was an invisible doctor stitching you up form the inside wounds began to close up, leaving an bright, red, angry patch of skin. It must've been deep enough not to heal completely, not in the least comforting. _

"_The end is near."_

_My head spun. After all the years I've heard and had come to dread the voice—and I have a good reason to, since that ominous voice is the reason why my life became a lot more complicated—I'm pretty sure I could come up with the conclusion that everything will be just peachy._

_"Nico?"_

_"Hero of the prophecy, beware!" The haunted voice continued—coming from the mouth of the son of Hades. I shivered._

_Okay, so maybe the voice won't bother me that much…I mean, how many times do you expect me to be jumpy after all the unwanted rhyming messages the Oracle spouted on me? But the eyes, Nico's eyes, glowed a sickening smoky green that doesn't even blink or move away from your stare…well, that's a VERY different matter. I looked away, scared witless._

_"Nico, I don't understand—"_

_"It has begun." I almost fainted when Nico grabbed my arm that was tending to his wound, forcing me to look into his eyes. What was once smoky green eyes became cobalt blue—what in the gods' name is happening?_

_Then his eyes shifted into the dark, obsidian orbs that I knew. His face was contorted into a pain-filled grimace, sharp breaths escaping his bloodied lips. The wounds that I just healed split open, more blood spilling from his flesh. Oh gods, why is the nectar not working? I panicked._

_"Percy," He gasped. "I don't have time—listen to me. The war of the Ages, it's starting and we need all the help we can get; the gods will tumble, our enemies will reign, our end is about to come—you're the only way to connect what has been scorned and forgotten—Be careful, Percy. Search for the warrriors of the heavens and the seas and learn their ways—"_

_Then his eyes turned to the smoky green that gave me the big creeps. "They're coming."_

_Then I heard it. It was a low grumbling at first, like a high-powered jackhammer, but then it grew louder. I felt the earth shaking and I had to grip onto one of the boulders so that I won't fall. I grabbed Nico by the collar and dragged him to my side, all the while praying to the gods that we won't get splattered._

_One of the perks of being the son of the Earth-shaker is that you get to have say against the rebelling ground—and I tried to stop the earthquake. I really did, even motioning downwards to the uneven surface to stop._

_But it didn't stop. It grew louder, like thunder clashing. It was so horrific and terrifying that I had a problem not to panic and scream._

_"Percy," I turned to Nico, who was attempting to stand. "I broke it—I made a terrible mistake—I have to pay—"_

_But he never got to finish what he started. Because the rocks where we are standing on was crumbling down, one by one. And Nico tumbling down with them. _

"_Nico!" I jumped and grabbed his arm, holding on. Nico's eyes were full of fear as he stared at the long way down. It was a really far fall and we're not sons of Zeus, so gliding and/or flying is a big no-no, and the tumbling rocks that were twice our size doesn't help in the matter. _

_So I took hold of his arm tighter, but it was moist with sweat. I prayed to the gods and Chaos that I would never let go of Nico's arm. _

_My prayers weren't answered. His arm slipped a centimetre down as my arm went numb with his weight—and I was getting desperate._

_"Now I understand." I looked down and saw Nico staring at me in a weird way. He looked as if he was in a trance—as if he wasn't himself. Oh gods._

_"Wha—" _

_"Listen, Percy. This is a part of the plan. You are supposed to let go."_

_My blood turned cold. I ignored his words, ignoring the chills running up my spine. This is so not the cussing kid I just heard a while ago. "Okay, Nico. I need you to hoist yourself up a little bit so I can pull you—"_

_His dark eyes snapped up to mine. _"_Percy, trust me. Just let go!"_

_This must be Gaia's doing, ignore him. I glared at him. "Are you insane? You'll die!"_

"_No! Let go, Perce! Trust me!" I ignored him. The battle must have worn him out and he decided to wish suicide. Well, hate to break it to you, Dead Boy, but that's not going to happen. An idea popped in my head. I summoned my powers and felt the familiar tug in my gut. A twenty-foot wave rose up from the sea and was barreling towards us._

_Then it stopped._

_Huh?_

_Then I turned to Nico and almost let go of his hand. He was still the same kid I just held on to a while ago—wounded and nauseatingly sarcastic. But he wasn't the same Nico. His other arm was raised high, palms open...stopping the wave I summoned. But what scared me were his eyes—_

"_Perseus." Nico's eyes were flitting from his normal dark eyes to sapphire orbs that looked like it was on fire. It was horribly disconcerting that my best friend called me by my first name._

"_Perseus." His eyes weren't the only ones that were different. His voice rang out among the roar of the suspended wave a few feet away. It wasn't like the deep voice Nico have had when he reached adolescence or the scratchy and ominous voice of the Fates. No, it was something more…_

_It was also this time that I noticed that it was raining in the middle of summer. The rain was as big as snowballs and it was accompanied by the boom of the thunder and lightning in the sky. For a second, I thought it was Zeus and my dad battling it out in the sky. No, it was too much powerful—it was as if it's coming from—_

"_Perseus. Wake me up, son." Power rang out of Nico's voice and I immediately knew his body wasn't his possession at the moment. _

"_Perseus. Wake me up before time stands still. Wake me up!"_

_His last words came out as an ear-splitting roar and I watched in despair as his hand slipped from mine._

"_Nico!"_

_Nico stared at me one last time, his dark eyes glinting. Then the wave came crashing down. My mouth was hanging open as I stared at what I had done. The wave I summoned killed my best friend…Nico… I crumpled down on my knees, ignoring the jab of pain the rocks gave my exhausted knees. _

_I let go of Nico. I let him fall. I let him die. The mantra kept on chanting in my head that it became my only thought at the moment._

_I was too preoccupied to realize that I was drenching from the rain and my hand slipped from his._

_It was all my fault._

"_I knew you would come back."_

_I stood up fast and turned around wondering how he got up here so fast—but it was too late. A sword pierced through my chest and I looked up and stared into Heracles' cold, unforgiving ones._

_The last thing I remembered was a long, jagged lightning came at a hundred miles per hour towards me with an electrifying shock. Heracles pulled his sword. I resisted the urge to scream as I know full well blood will spurt out of it. Then he was nowhere to be seen but that wasn't my problem._

_Because the lightning hit my chest._

_I closed my eyes as the darkness entered my eyes. But not before I hear another voice._

'_Wake me up, hero, before everything is too late.'_

_! #$%^&*()_

I woke up, gasping for breath. It was dark and the light coming from the windows could only mean that the sun—or suns?—won't be coming up for some time. My body was clammy with sweat, my clothes sticking to my skin as if drenched. Sitting up, I patted my chest for a huge, fatal wound with a sword protruding from it. It's just a dream, Percy. Just a dream.

Was it? I've never had a more realistic one before, even when the king of the Titans was still whole and not jigsaw-puzzled. Not even when Gaia was alive and creating havoc on Earth—never. I've had dreams of my friends dying in front of me, but this is the one that scared me the most.

"Percy?"

Theseus was at the doorway—where did that come from? There was no door!—holding what I could see as a glass of water. My throat was parched and some water would do me good.

"Are you alright?" Theseus walked towards side of my bed and put the glass on the bedside table. I grabbed the glass with trembling hands and took a sip.

"I'm fine," I muttered. Which I'm not, by the way.

He frowned, eyes squinting in worry. He sat down on my bed and sighed. "I've lived for some quite time, Percy. And do believe me when I say I've seen a lot of things and demigod dreams is one of them."

His condescending tone must have rubbed on me the wrong way, my sore muscles and the huge headache that is coming is just a bonus.

"I don't care, alright? I just had the worst dream I've had in my whole life and I really don't need you getting all bossy on me just because you know everything!"

He recoiled in shock. "I didn't mean it that way—"

My head throbbed and spun and I am in desperate need of some aspirin. It wouldn't be nice to vent your anger towards your new brother. I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, Theseus, but things aren't going great at this moment—"

Understatement of the century.

"—and my demigod dreams always happen in the future or gods' forbid, had happened some time yesterday or maybe a decade ago and it's going south and everything's just going wrong."

I didn't realize that my rant got me breathing hard as if I ran non-stop for an hour. I cannot see Theseus' expression and he didn't say anything. He just lifted a hand in the air and made a swiping motion. Before my eyes, I saw my glass refilling itself with water from the bottom to the top.

I gaped. "How did you—?"

He dismissed the question with a shake of his head. "It doesn't matter. Just drink the water and we'll talk about it now."

I obliged his command, thinking of how he just made water appear out of thin air. Like that moving Avatar with the kid with the tattoo of the arrow on his bald head. Gods, I must be out of my mind!

"Now, what happened in the dream?" Theseus asked gently.

It was an innocent question. I could've answered it easily if it was in a different situation. But the problem is, I can't.

Why? Because there is a big part in my head that was saying that I just killed my best friend, my cousin. Even though some part was saying it wasn't my fault and that Nico wanted me to let go, no matter how insane that is—I led Nico to his death.

And it was the horrible truth that will haunt me, whether it was a dream or not.

How could I just let that burden fall on others' shoulders? Isn't it enough that I carry this mistake on me till the day I die because I gave up on holding on to the kid? I could've just pulled him out and we wouldn't have this guilt caravan inside me but why didn't I? Why didn't I do it?

Why didn't I save him?

Why didn't I save them?

I put the empty glass on the table and took a deep breath. "I don't know what happened. I was just sleeping and then I woke up in Camp. This always happens with my dreams, once or twice inside Camp itself. But not this—Camp was deserted. It was eerily quiet and there was no one inside the cabins, all the lights were out—that never happens! And then I heard screams from the forest."

I gulped down the bile that was rising up my throat. "I—It was horrible. The campers, the satyrs, the dryads—my friends, even children!—were all lying on the ground, not moving. Not blinking—not even breathing. I didn't even do anything, it was a dream—but, heck, I didn't even try to stop those campers kiling their siblings! I just stood there, watching them destroy their lives and family! I even saw a kid—a ten-year old kid!—impaled by a sword of a guy bigger than him!"

I was sick to the stomach, and once I cannot hold any longer, I ran to the nearest plant pot and just threw up all of the food I ate a few hours ago. I didn't even realize I was crying and sobbing with tears falling down my sweaty face.

I felt a hand land on my shoulders, gripping it tight.

"Percy," Theseus was at my side, bending his torso to meet my eyes. "You cannot blame yourself for this. All of the dreams we demigods have is just a figment of the reality of what is about to come."

"Tell that to my dream makers. I'm sure they'll have a jolly time telling you they like my dreams coming from the past too." I muttered scathingly.

"Stop it!" He yelled. I was too surprised to say anything else. "You shall not think of depressing thoughts. The Fates must have a good reason for showing you this—"

Must be a spiffing good reason, doesn't it? "Oh yeah, they've had it in for me since I was inside my mom—"

"—because they expect you to do everything to save your family and friends—"

"—they never expected anything from me other than this! I save them thousands of times, risking my neck for them and this is how they repay me?"

Theseus let out a strangled yell and turned me to face him. I glared at him, ignoring the protesting muscles on my arms. "Percy! Don't you understand? This is the reason why the Fates is giving you all these dreams! To make you stronger! To prepare you for what is about to come!"

Seeing me wince in pain, he took a deep breath and loosened the death grip he had around my arms. He straightened up, his voice devoid of emotion. "To become a true hero of the prophecy, one must be as strong as a mountain, as agile as the sea, as wise as the heavens, as deadly as the inferno."

"But the most important of all," He whispered. "one must be one with all to the point of selflessness to risk everything he had to face the greater evil."

That stung hard. After everything my friends had been through, they had to die just to save others? Sure, they fought valiantly with the two wars—many died just to have peace—and then I just have to let go of what was going to happen just to train and be a good hero so I could beat whoever the prophecy's referring to?

I rose to my full height, well, I was still a half a head shorter than the towering Theseus, but I was told my glare and voice could make anyone cower. Especially when I'm pissed. Very pissed.

"So I just have to let this happen? If it hasn't happened already—just so we can be ready for whatever this is? Slaughter hundreds of children to become a battle-hardened warrior worthy of the greatest prophecy of all time?"

Theseus flinched. "No. You have to accept what is to come and be prepared to face it. Children would not face their demise if you let this guilt go and use your compassion for their safety to reign in your actions."

Guilt. Oh how I despise that word.

I exhaled forcefully. "I—thank you for that, Theseus. I—I was so angry and I didn't know what to do—"

"It always happens to the best of us. It doesn't make you less of a human." Theseus offered a reassuring smile. "Get some sleep, kid. You're gonna need it tomorrow."

Once I was positioned in my bed, I realized something. The way Theseus talks, it was as if he had faced all these once in his life…how could I be a hypocrite and tell him he doesn't know anything? I remembered all the storied about how Theseus reigned his mortal father's kingdom after his father committed suicide for a simple mistake, all of the laws he passed, all the equality and justice he gave to his people—how much more selfless can you get?

"Theseus?" He was almost on the open doorway—again, a mystery as to how the wall could have a door—when he stopped, not turning around.

"Have—Have you sacrificed a lot? I know you were once a king and that you were fair to your people. But did you something hard for the sake of others?"

Okay, maybe that was too personal for somebody you just met yesterday. He took a long time to speak that I almost thought he wasn't going to answer. But who can blame him? I must have overstepped my boundary.

Then Theseus' head swiveled to meet mine, his sea-green eyes glinted mysteriously, void of any expression.

"As I said, it always happens to the best of us."

Then the doorway disappeared, leaving me to ponder everything in my sleep.

! #$%^&*()

A word of advice: Never wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Seriously, don't.

I felt someone poke my head. It felt huge and heavy and my first thought was some kind of jackhammer being drilled on the side of my head. I growled menacingly, agonized by the continuous beating on my head. Instinctively, I reached inside my pocket. Although my senses were dulled to a minimum because of my sleep-deprived body, I felt the leathery texture of my jeans and sighed internally. Yesterday was a bit awkward walking in skirt among the crowd and I wasn't a big fan of showing off legs.

I pulled out Riptide and swung.

When I heard nothing, I slowly got up and blinked my eyes open. The room was vast and comfortable. The walls were made of glass with some greenish-blue tint in it. Still, I felt oddly visible even if I perfectly knew I can't be seen from the outside. I glanced around, hardly caring about my surroundings, and stopped at a small door on the far corner of the room. I stood up and stretched a bit before entering the bathroom.

Inside was the perfect model of the classier johns. The lavatory was huge. The walls were ceramic and white and I had a hard time imagining how it could be so pristine and bright when lots of nature calls happen inside it?

I entered the bathtub and reveled on the warm water that soothed my back. When I was finished, I reached for the towel fixed on the rack and wiped myself. Immediately, a faint shimmer appeared around me. As soon as it disappeared, Aphrodite's ensemble was put on me. It's a good thing a shirt appeared unlike before—but the blue shirt with the trident Reyna gave me just left a pang in my gut.

But I had more problems than my petty wardrobe. I had a dream last night. Camp was in danger, Heracles beat Nico in a fight, Nico got possessed by a strange voice, Nico letting go of my hand, Heracles stabbed me in the chest…then my talk with Theseus. But there was something there…before I woke up.

Wake me up, hero, before everything is too late.

I shivered. Somehow, putting a loud alarm clock beside whoever possessed Nico isn't going to be that easy.

Nico.

I really hope that Theseus is right, I thought. I know the Fates are playing with my head, but I'll take the part where I'm their playtoy than to make all that I dreamt last night a reality.

Sighing in defeat, I went out and immediately regretted it. How I hate waking really early.

"Good morning, brother. Did you sleep well?"

Chaos was standing in the middle of the room with Theseus grinning beside him.

Whatever fear I had of rubbing Theseus the bad way disappeared as I saw him grinning. Either he forgot all about what happened with the dream fiasco or he's just one heck of an actor hiding everything from the omniscient Chaos.

I stared hard at Theseus, hoping to catch some expression on his face. Theseus continued to grin like a happy man, but the fact that he shook his slightly to the right that gave me the impression that it wouldn't be good to just let anyone know of what happened. Not yet. But that doesn't mean I won't be telling Chaos anything ever—I just have to solve this myself.

Yep, he's one great actor, alright.

Then I turned to Chaos and regretted it. Seriousy.

Unlike the midnight black cloak that I've seen him wearing the first time I've met him, he was clad in a purple-glittered cloak with a few strange emblems stitched on the right side. I tried to read a few of them but it seems as if Chaos was a bit of Dionysus himself—torturing dyslexic children with cursive writing.

In all, it hurt to even look at him.

I averted my eyes away from the glinting cloak. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

Chaos' blood-red eyes poured into mine, giving me a strange feeling that he was piercing into my soul. "And dreams?"

I stiffened. I mean, it wouldn't help at all if I just dropped the bomb on Chaos himself. "None. It was weird that I slept peacefully for the first time."

Chaos nodded, though he was not entirely convinced. Theseus clapped me on the back. "Atta ' brother! You'll love it here. The foods, feasts, even the ladies." He waggled his eyebrows.

I blushed. "Thanks for the info." But I doubt I would have the chance of partying at night clubs when I keep on being haunted by demigod dreams.

"You're welcome. Now, Lord Chaos is here to pick you up to give you a tour of the other parts of the city. Have fun, bro!"

"You too!" I called upon his retreating back.

"Come on, Perseus. We have a lot of work to do." He grabbed my arm and literally dragged me out of my room.

! #$%^&*()

"You have got to be joking." I was standing on the curb, staring at the "car" in disbelief. It was the same vehicle that I've seen the green-jumpsuit guy was driving yesterday, only a lot bigger and cooler. Bigger turbines for wheels, sea-green painted body and a huge laser gun on top.

And Chaos expects me to know how to drive the thing.

"I can't drive that thing! It doesn't even have wheels!" I know I am being stupid and pathetic for refusing to drive such a sweet machine (at least, the guys would think so) but with my luck, I could hit some innocent pedestrian with the big laser gun.

Chaos raised an eyebrow. "It does have wheels but cars nowadays go with style."

"Fine. I'll drive. But if I send someone to the hospital, you're paying."

Chaos rolled his eyes but agreed nonetheless. Then I was struck with another dilemma.

"Where's the door?"

He raised his arms up in exasperation and pointed on the left side of the car. I learned that the door was somewhat invisible since it has the same color as the body. I wondered if the concept is the same with the hidden doorway to my room. How stupid of me, really. We just went out of it and I didn't even notice!

Anyway, the car door—It does not have a lock but it is activated by the owner. Yeah, I know. Reckless of Chaos to _buy_ me a car like this when I don't even know where the door is.

But then, you can't deny a guy cool toys now, can you?

Once we were strapped inside, I faced the windshield and gaped. There was no steering wheel, a fact I gladly pointed out to Chaos. He just laughed and pointed to a small compartment in the middle. I tapped on it and pulled out a console.

Immediately, I was relieved it was the same consoles I play with when I was a kid. But there are different ones that I have no idea how it works.

"Basically, this is the steering wheel you're looking for. Arrows for direction. That button on the left side is your break. Those three in the middle opens the back, opens the window on top and cleans the windshield. Those six buttons are your desired movement. Park, Neutral and so on…"

He pointed towards the three odd-looking buttons on the right side. "Now, these three, you're going to love them. This one picks up the food you put in your mini refrigerator in the back and puts it here." He pointed at an odd-looking tray in our middle. "Now, the second one straps your wheels if are supposed to ride in the Air Transit or to open them if you are to pick land. The last one, and this is a bonus, engages the laser gun for you to shoot with it."

By the time he was finished, my mouth was hanging open. _Leo's going to flip!_

"What're you waiting for? This is just like your game consoles. Let's roll."

All I had to say is that Chaos better get more lines other than Transformers.

I started the engine and began cruising down the streets. Yes, it was an achievement that I managed not to bump any pedestrian and it was a good thing also that fifty-foot tall lampposts doesn't have any medical insurance.

It was a weird, sensing people stare at you and they can't even see you. I've had my fair share of weird and I've been invisible to some in unexpected situations but this was a whole new feeling. It was as if I was in some World War II combat vehicle with some very heavy tint, readying for battle in full regalia.

It does make you look tough, does it?

Where have the good cars gone, with wheels and dashboard with a nodding dog on it? But I have to admit, technology made all this possible…spacecrafts and flying vehicles? It seems as if it came from a _Harry Potter_ movie with some _Star Wars_ in it.

"Stop."

Before I could ask him, he got out of the car and began to make his way on the edge of a hill. It was steep and grassy, a few boulders scattered across it. I hastily got out—for the fear of it suddenly closing—and followed him.

To my surprise, the hill was not artificial. Heck, it even smelled like a hill—nature and Grover-like. The dirt was soft against my soles, the grass brushing my too tight leather pants. _Curse Aphrodite for this._

Then my musings with hills and nature vanished as I looked ahead.

"Whoa."

That was an understatement. It felt like I was looking at another world. It was not like the city I saw, and believe me, that city amazed me to no end. But this—

Wow.

The place was huge. It was like Elysium, only if you upgrade it a hundred times and still feel light-headed when you look at it. Whereas Elysium is all white, this one is a burst of all colors.

On the far eastern side lie the mansions, from Victorian-era palaces to modernized mansions bigger than those of Hollywood celebs. There were mansions that looked like Hades' palace—I made a mental note not to even go there—there are even some that looks like Olympus and still, it doesn't even cover a quarter of the biggest mansion that lies in the farthest part of the clearing.

In the middle of the clearing was a marketplace. Stalls surrounded the middle clearing and a twenty-foot fountain made of marble, shimmering in the sunlight. I averted my eyes away from it.

Then I saw it.

On the western side stood the tallest and widest skyscraper that I've ever seen—it was twice as tall as the Empire State Building and twice as wide as the Staples Center in Los Angeles. I would bet all my money that Olympus could give that skyscraper a run for their money. It was made of glass, just like most of the buildings here, but some of its parts were made out of celestial bronze and imperial gold.

But what caught my eye is the arrow coming towards _me_.

"Watch out!"

Chaos had the chance to sidestep the arrow but I was a second too late. I closed my eyes and waited for the arrow to make its impact.

_Any moment now._

_Where is the unending pain of being impaled by an arrow in the head?_

_The blood should be dripping now._

What? I opened my eyes and yelped.

Immediately, I summoned the biggest wave I could, ignoring the pain in my gut. I was too busy panicking at what was happening right now.

I was on _fire._

Like, tongues of flame that began to eat their way up my arm and legs. I must've looked like the _Ghost Rider _I watched when I was kid, cool and very terrifying. Still, I had the sense to come up with the fact that fire _never_ coincides with water!

But the odd thing was, I can't even feel pain which should have appeared by now, paired with scalding burns and roasted hairs...I didn't feel anything.

But, seriously, try saying that to a dude who was supposed to be avoiding any type of flames to save his life.

(Not Frank—you'll be dead before you could even say Hannibal. Or as a matter of fact, Thalia, if you really don't want to be her roasted chicken entrée for dinner.)

_Oh my gods, I'm turning into a human barbecue!_

And I just turned the arrow into ashes. A second later, a twenty-foot wave came crashing down on me, drenching the grass and soil that I was stepping on. Thanks to my ability, I came out unscathed but I couldn't say the same to my sanity since not long ago I was wrapped in flames.

Not to my surprise, Chaos came out dry and smiling. He took a deep breath and raised his arms up as if he was selling out the place.

He grinned. "Welcome to the Sentry."

I wonder if this is how he greet visitors: send an arrow at them and set them on fire.

Hey, you never know with THE insane creator of the universe.

"Great. I feel so loved."

His grin grew wider. "Well, you are the first one to say that but I'm glad I could sense the enthusiasm!"

_Oh boy, he doesn't even know the meaning of sarcasm._

This is going to take a while.

! #$%^&*()

The Sentry is, well for a lack of better term—_big_. Chaos led me towards the western portion of the clearing. First part of the tour, he said. But I didn't really believe that.

Once I stepped on the border, I felt a strange prickling sensation on my arm. The hairs on it were burned off the edges, some emitting smoke. Chaos said it was their initial defense system.

Good thing he warned me. I almost thought I was spontaneously combusting if not for his warning.

And the man even thought of taking back what he said and saying that there was no invisible barrier around, thus the spontaneous combustion I was suffering from.

_The lying git!_

In a way, their defense system was kind of similar to the barrier in Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter, though why they would need protection in a very peaceful place such as the Heart is beyond me. I shrugged and left it at that.

We made our way towards the nearest hill and stared down. I underestimated the distance. It was deeper than I thought; there were more buildings and arenas aside from the huge arena/skyscraper I saw.

Cautious, I watched my steps carefully. I did not realize that the hill was sloped in strange angles. Some were too shallow that it was nearly flat as the ground; some were deeper than ocean trenches.

"What's the holdup with this hill?" I panted, sweat covering my face. Trust me, it was completely hard work.

Chaos shrugged, not even breaking a sweat. It was a weird thought though, the Creator of the Universe having a full workout session.

"Defense and training, I guess. Soldiers like to release some steam."

"Defense? Defense for what exactly? Your place is far from trouble, no one could even reach you here." It was bordering on ridiculous. No one can reach this place without falling dead—plus there's the fact that the idea of Titans wearing spacesuits and hobbling around in space is just _weird_.

He didn't answer. "Let's continue, shall we?"

He was keeping something from me—which I can be sure of. I raised an eyebrow. Maybe it's for secrecy from other people…or from me. Highly unlikely, but if that was the case…I'm keeping something from him, too.

_Touché._

Men in different jumpsuits stared at us as we went down the hill. Some were staring in curiosity and caution, as if I would turn all-monster and attack them. I caught a few ones filled with awe and I knew I met these guys once. That wasn't a reassuring thought since this was a place for those who passed away.

Some were staring in a weird way, others sizing me up. It was like my first day at Camp all over again after I beat the Minotaur to its horns' demise. I knew this kind of treatment, heck, I went through them all my life, and making the same mistake of being intimidated by the creepy stares won't be a good introduction.

Shoulders upright, I ignored the stares boring at my back.

Chaos nodded in approval. "Impressive. Never letting the intimidation through you. Impressive, indeed."

"Underwent it once, never again twice." Plus the fact it goes against the image of the mysterious dude with the all-powerful Chaos walking like they're chummy buddies.

He patted me on the back and pointed at buildings and arenas. Towering skyscrapers used for battlefronts and armory filled with various types of armaments ranging from swords and spears to AK-43 machine guns that can shoot three hundred bullets per second.

I really have no idea how that could happen but Chaos seemed smug about. It must have taken him a while to build those.

Anyway, back to the buildings. Well, none of them have the same function as the other.

One was used for masonry and for building all those mechanical junks. I saw bulging dudes hammering down a piece of metal; one of them was building a music box and was about to finish in seconds. It would put even Leo to shame, and he was one of the best that I've seen build a grandfather clock in half an hour with some nuts and bolts and pliers.

Next to it was the archery range—hectares of land with trimmed Bermuda grass and hundreds of ranges that I need not go into. I made a mental note to avoid stepping on the range so as to prevent any stray arrows that I was sure would make a feat of turning around to impale me in the back. I mean, it happened to Chiron, what are the odds it won't happen to me?

There was a swords and spear arena where an impressive display of swords and spears can be seen from afar.

"Yes," Chaos nodded. "The arena is used mainly for combat training. Occasionally, there are some challenges thrown between soldiers. Entertainment for them, you know."

"Uh-huh, so maiming is allowed?"

He smiled roguishly. "Where is the fun if it isn't? Besides, we train our healers in the best way possible. Most survive the challenges, some don't. Though we avoid any rough fights, not every case can be solved simply by godly food and magic."

He said that as if it was no big deal to him that his soldiers hurt each other. I shivered. "Er, okay. What's that building for?" I pointed towards the farthest building, secluded among the others. Trees lined up the front, giving it a sinister atmosphere.

He looked up and frowned thoughtfully. "Ah, that would be the Oracle's palace."

I stared up at it. It was seven stories tall, glass walls and roof. It seemed fragile but from what I saw, it isn't. The windows were covered with velvet curtains it was impossible to see the inside. But I can't help but feel something odd about it—as if someone was staring back at me. I had this feeling with the mummified Oracle of Delphi and it wasn't a good one.

"Who's living in there?"

"The Oracle."

I stared back at it. "It sure looks big for one person to live in."

Chaos frowned. "I didn't say only one is in there."

I opened my mouth to ask but he shook his head. "Not now, I'll tell you later."

From his tone, I heard the underlying hesitation. He wasn't planning on telling me sooner. And I'm not sure if I really want to find out.

Then there was Academia—eighteen stories of geekiness and nerd armory: meaning to say, libraries. Who would have thought a library could be as tall as the Chrysler building? It was made of the same glass most of the buildings in here but the difference is the weird symbols painted on the walls. It was glowing in a strange way that my first impression of it is that a flashlight was stuck inside of it.

I looked further and saw a big garden behind the building, with a swing and a traditional patio and all those interior design thingies.

Research and some light reading, Chaos said. I'm not really a fan of books, but I could spare some time looking around. It was way cooler than those obsolete and isolated libraries near our apartment. And Chiron's library in the Big House isn't really this big, so this was a first.

And it's not the only one.

Then came the main event—the Sentry Hall. Well, if you really could call it a hall, when it's twice the size of Empire State Building.

It was fashioned like a dome but it was way wider. Hundreds of glass windows lined in a row, balconies protruded from the windows. Some were made out of steel, imperial gold and celestial bronze. There was even the familiar cold and clear Stygian ice and some others I really don't know. Imagine, balconies…But that doesn't compare on the inside.

"Whoa."

It was lavish and sophisticated. Velvet curtains trimmed with gold embroideries ran across the windows in the lobby it gave off an eerie glow coming from the crystal chandelier hanging from the domed ceiling. Red carpet continued the hall, softening our footfalls against the glass floor.

Statues of different gods were lined on the walls, marble or steel. There were even statues of the Olympians carved in celestial bronze and imperial gold. The lobby was endless, and I was tired and starving, but the end was worst.

A majestic white staircase was making its way towards the elevators in the middle.

_Ugh, I really hate stairs right now._

Chaos pressed the button going up and I can't help but fear that this is somehow similar to the elevators to Olympus.

_Oh gods, not Stayin' Alive again!_

The doors dinged open and we stepped in. The odd part is that there were only two buttons—_t__op _and _bottom? _What in the Hades does it mean?

I looked at him in confusion. "Aren't there floors in this building?"

I swear, this place is going to be the death of me—all of the things in here happen to work with glass that can withstand something as big as the Sentry Hall or nuclear-powered jets in cars. And I am pretty sure you can't buy all those on E-bay.

"The Sentry Hall," Chaos began. "—Is the heart of Sentry. This was built thousands of years ago by the men of my army. Quite fast for something so big, isn't it? But, then again, my army isn't what you'll call ordinary. And this fortress isn't ordinary as well. You'll see why."

He pressed the arrow going to the top and put a hand on the metal brace, as if waiting for something. After a few moments, I got really confused. "It's not moving—Whoa! What in the gods' name?"

Then I heard it. A loud whirring sound from the platform we're stepping in. The glass began to shake vigorously I was losing my balance.

"Chaos, there's an earthquake! We have to evacuate!" I all but shrieked at him in a high-pitched voice. It was ironic that the son of the Earth shaker is afraid of a simple thing as an earthquake. But really, after the dream…I shook my head. Now's not the time to think about that, I berated myself.

I saw my face in the reflection and I looked panicked. What do you expect, just go with the flow? Surely that flow will be downwards. And I really prefer things going _upwards._

"Do not fret, son. This is how we do things." He shouted against the now-grumbling noise emitting from the glass. It was shaking threateningly and I'm not sure I want to find out what would happen if our weight—

_Zoom._

The floor shuddered as it went up at an alarming pace.

"Oh Zeus! What in the gods' name is happening?" I held on to anything I could put my hand on. Fortunately, there was a metal handle on the side and I grabbed it will all my might. I was just here for a day and I'll just die from elevator malfunctions?

At least it was better than comatose. But still, I closed my eyes and waited for the booming crash that should soon follow…right about—

Now.

_Ding. _

Then a man's voice reverberated from all sides of the elevator. '_You've reached the top of the Sentry Tower. You have five seconds to change the command. If you wish to carry on with your command, wait for the fall out._

_What? _I opened my eyes. I was still in the same elevator; nothing was out-of-place. No cracks, no shattered glass, nothing.

I looked at the control on top of the metal doors. The _Top _button was lit, meaning we reached the highest floor. But how—

The bell just rang and I saw another button pop out of the control.

A _red_ one—and let me remind you that red almost always signifies _bad news._

I choked. "Is that—an emergency button?"

Chaos just stood there with his hands in his pocket, leaning on the glass wall with no care in the world—

As if we're not about to die from being splattered into pancake. But then again, he's the creator of the Universe. He could just re-create himself and get it over with.

As for me, there's only one Percy and I won't make do with a copy.

He gestured towards the button, mischief laced in his red eyes. "Push it."

I did not hesitate pushing the button. I mean, it would send help and rescue us here, right?

But I wished I did hesitate. For that moment I wished I was too naïve that I did not press the bright red button—Because the next thing that happened shocked me senseless.

The glass floor opened.

_And I was falling._

_! #$%^&*()_

I would like to say I came in terms with death and welcomed it with open arms, just like I did when I was falling off the Arch. It would be awesome thinking like I was Superman or something, about to meet the Kryptonite of his dreams.

The truth: My only thought was _Chaos, you old sot! _

And don't ask how I got to think of anything while falling without any type of back up. I was falling a hundred miles per hour and it wasn't a good feeling. My face was peeling off and the pressure was making it really hard to talk but I still managed.

"What in the gods' name happened back there?" was the words I wanted to say but it came out as a gargle. I didn't understand it really, so I can't phrase it.

Thankfully, Chaos was near me, falling as well. Though compared to my flapping arms and stretched face, he was falling in style. Standing upright, his weight was distributed evenly around his body so that the impacts will be on his soles, not on the face. His hair wasn't even messed up, for gods' sakes!

His voice rang out clear. Again, I have no idea how he managed to do that while he was falling fast. "You pushed the button."

I glared at him, or as much glaring you can make when your eyeballs are being pushed into their sockets. "I thought that button was for crash landing!"

He grinned, pearly whites and fangs showing. "Nope, _free falling."_

_Oh no._

Let's just say for those of you who are, in some or many ways, afraid or height and/or free falling like my dear mentor Chaos made me do, it's safe to say you can curse any of the deities you feel responsible for making you do this.

Meaning—if they will just allow you to free fall a hundred miles per hour, you can sue them for suicide or intentional damage of property or something along those lines.

I closed my eyes and wished to all that could listen that I'd land safely somewhere. I felt hot air coming from below and pushing me up. It was sort of comfortable; it felt like steam that came out of sauna spas only the steam was significantly cooler. But then again, you wouldn't be thinking of that if you're worried of falling again, would you?

A second ago I was falling, terribly as a matter of fact, and then I felt something _solid _beneath my feet. I opened my eyes and almost kissed the ground I was stepping on if not for the fact that the elevator shaft doors opened for me to step out.

So I walked out, unscathed. Surprised? So am I. It just so happens that the elevator is alive in some way. After Chaos left me falling—I have no idea how he disappeared, he just did, I prayed to all the gods I know to save me from this impending death of mine.

I could easily imagine myself splattered on the floor once I lose control and turn into a Percy-pancake. Fortunately, the gods and the elevator answered my prayers and blew steam to bring me back up.

Where exactly? Well, _the hallway to the cafeteria, _of course_. _

I wouldn't even know where I was if not for the big marquee sign of special lunch menu of pasta à la Carte, grilled chicken, fresh piña colada, Greek salad with feta cheese—well, you get the gist of it.

I know. My stomach was one with my mind at that point, so I wished that I could be in the cafeteria. The elevator could be my fairy godmother for saving me.

So I walked out of the elevator shaft, acting all cool and suave, when in fact I was trembling on the inside. The people on jumpsuits all stared at me with raised brows, probably because I looked like a zombie that just got out of a tomb or because I was a newbie.

I'd rather go with the latter. I could see the cafeteria at the end and made my way towards it. I made up a really good plan as I was walking if everything goes down. I call it, if-someone-notices-you-try-not-to-bolt-and-just-ac t-like-a-normal-person-and-say-hi plan.

So far, none of the jumpsuit dudes approached me so it's good. But I knew my luck won't last that long (as usual). So, as soon as I was more than halfway the corridor, my luck ran out and someone noticed me.

"You alright, man?"

Great—my first interaction with somebody. I turned and faced—the monster of my dreams.

I groaned internally. Why, oh why, did I have to meet someone at the wrong time, especially _this _one?

Golden-blonde hair, blue eyes, chiseled face—yep, the face of the devil.

_Heracles._

I don't do thinking. I do acting.

I uncapped Riptide and lunged.

His eyes widened but before he could back up, I threw him off guard. I lunged and he avoided. _Damn, his reflexes are better now. _Frowning, I tried to sidestep and thrust but he avoided it easily. But I wasn't trained to give up.

I studied his posture and saw a chink in his armor. I feigned left and attacked his right leg. He hissed in pain at the scratch I made and that was the second-diversion I was looking for. I slammed into him and pointed my sword at his throat.

I was breathing hard but I couldn't care less. Heracles was here, here in the Heart. I was half-satisfied that he was here because that would mean Thanatos pushed his butt up and dragged him down into the Underworld, and half-annoyed at Chaos's decision to let someone like _him _to enter such an amazing place.

"What are you doing here, jerk?" I growled menacingly. The guy wasn't the least bit frightened, just confused.

"What're you talking about—?"

I gritted my teeth, not sure if I could resist not to tear him limb from limb. "Oh please, don't act innocent with me, Heracles. I know what you did at Camp and I swear I'll avenge them even if it's the last thing I do."

His eyes widened in realization and he gripped my arm hard. "Dude, I don't know who you are but I swear to the Styx, I'm not Heracles. I even hate the jerk, if that makes you feel any better." He said slowly. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

That was a risky move, swearing to the Styx. I wasn't even aware that you could swear to it in this place, but it sure did the trick. I waited for something to shoot him or swallow him whole—none. The Styx must be late at picking up broken promises…or he's telling the truth.

I stared at him in a new light. He was in some ways different. He was leaner and taller than Heracles but still maintained toned muscles from training. His hair has blonde highlights that I didn't notice before, unlike Heracles who wants to maintain his natural look. And I couldn't care less since he would look terrible either way. His eyes were the same electric-blue, though. That must be the reason why I attacked him in the first place.

But the thing that made me decide is his expression. He wasn't haughty-looking or even smug. He was, if I may say—genuinely worried.

_And that will never be Heracles. _Ever.

I let my sword down and gave him space. He was panting heavily from the death grip I had on his shoulders and neck. He took a deep breath and stared at me in disbelief.

"Man, you have a strong grip."

I capped my ballpoint sword and slipped it in my pocket. "Thanks. And I'm sorry for, uh, attacking you like that. Thought you were someone else."

He nodded in understanding. "You were calling me Heracles."

"Yeah. Sorry 'bout that again."

He gestured his hand to me. "It's fine, really. I'd probably attack someone who looks like the jerk, too. Plus, a healthy dose of action isn't that bad, you know. By the way, I haven't seen you from around here and even in Elysium. What's your name?"

I shook his hand. "Percy."

"Percy? That's an odd name. You have any godly parent?"

But before I could answer, a bulky dude made its way towards us, glaring at me the whole way.

"Are you alright there, Perseus?" The dude addressed.

I was confused. Is he talking to me? My question was answered when the Heracles-look alike nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Marcus. You can move on now." He gave a glance towards the growing onlookers who began to scurry off. Then he faced me with an expectant expression.

I looked at him stupidly. "Your name's Perseus?"

"Oh, I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself. My name's Perseus, son of Danae and Zeus, slayer of Medusa the gorgon."

_Holy Minotaur dung._

I just attacked one of the most famous Greek heroes ever!


End file.
